In such a short time, Doral went from being a suburban area to a vibrant city that attracts companies, investors and families from various parts of the world. Its strategic location near Miami International Airport and its excellent infrastructure have been key factors in its expansion.
In December 2022, the voters of this community elected Christi Fraga as their mayor for an incomplete term, following the resignation of then-mayor Juan Carlos Bermúdez, now a Miami-Dade commissioner.
Voters go to the polls again in the general elections on November 5, amid growing political tensions.
Mayoral dispute
So far, Fraga is the only candidate officially registered to try to remain in office for a full four-year term. The councilor and those who make up the group that would support the aspiration of Councilor Digna Cabral for the position of mayor have been at the center of strong political controversies in the local Council.
DIARIO LAS AMÉRICAS spoke with the acting mayor. For Fraga, some decisions adopted in the legislative body of the Doralinos are “immoral.” He cited as an example the approval of a lifetime pension program for elected officials with more than eight years of service.
“This has been a great battle; “This seems priceless to me but also immoral,” commented the mayor, who upon coming to office promoted the repeal of the ordinance that gave legal life to these stipends. For these pensions there is a lawsuit filed by interested parties in court. “One of my goals is to not reactivate them,” she stressed.
However, the head of the Doral City Council put into context a series of reforms to the charter of the municipality that would be submitted to the will of the residents as amendments in the November elections, among which she mentioned the issue of reestablishment of pensions and even the possibility of councilors obtaining an increase in their salaries.
Fraga, in his words, “in just 18 months” has changed “the way of governing in the city,” allowing “more participation from our residents, with community workshops and giving them a voice in our decisions.” If he continues to lead the mayor’s office, he said, that would be one of his policies, seeking “greater transparency.”
He also noted that he is aware that he has not fulfilled all his campaign promises due to the short time, “only 80% or 90%.” Among his achievements he referred to the progress in the construction of Doral Central Park, a space for entertainment and sports that is being built on a 33-hectare plot of land.
“In August, we are going to deliver the first phase of the park, but the second phase, which includes the pool and the community center, we must have ready in December or January,” he stated. Another of his challenges, according to his statements, is to finish the mega-work and deliver it to the community, if he is re-elected as mayor.
From his point of view, “administrative stability” is one of his great concerns. “In 21 years, we have had 12 administrators,” he said, which he interprets as a product “of politics.” In his opinion, “politics should not get involved in these things about the administration of a city because the most affected are our residents and our businessmen.”
If Doralinos were to elect her as mayor again, Fraga proposes to continue strengthening security “with more police officers,” lower taxes, improve road infrastructure, bring in more investments, insist on the complete closure of the garbage incinerator plant and, among others. plans, promote a measure in Tallahassee that allows a greater participation in the taxes generated in the city.
Decision in the making
This newspaper also spoke with Councilor Digna Cabral, who recently underwent surgery which, she said, has not yet allowed her to make a decision about her eventual campaign for the position of municipal mayor.
“Every morning I am praying to God and the Virgin to give me clarity. I still have until the second week of July to present my documentation,” said the legislator, who is part of the majority group in the correlation of political forces in the local Council, along with Vice Mayor Oscar Puig and Councilor Maureen Porras.
Cabral presented herself as an elected official who likes to “have her house in order.” In that sense, she maintained that “working together and knowing where we are going is very important,” while she criticized Mayor Fraga because, in her opinion, “she has brought division in the Council.”
Regarding his proposals to the community, in case he finally takes a step forward in his aspiration, he said that “there are many things to improve, for example, in the permits part, in how the police are being handled right now, as well as the traffic part.”
The municipal legislator added that her management in the Council would not have been the same without the support of the former mayor and current commissioner Juan Carlos Bermúdez. “Having him there can guarantee that future projects go ahead because, although he loves all the cities in his district, he lives here and is the founder of this city,” he indicated.
The waste incinerator plant is an issue that also worries him, according to his statements, to the point that, he stressed, “we do not want it to remain in Doral or be restored (after the fire it suffered in February of last year). “, nor as an exchange center for trucks loaded with garbage.” For this, he also believes Bermúdez’s presence in the County is important, “as a voice of our community.”
Regarding Doral Central Park, Cabral criticized Mayor Fraga: “This is a work that has been going on since the last administration and was only stopped for a while due to the COVID pandemic. To say that the park was built in a year and a few months is an insult to the City employees themselves, who have been working on this.”
He noted that security and reducing the crime rate are issues to which he would dedicate “great efforts” if he decides to run and finally receives the favor of voters.
Council Elections
Meanwhile, two seats on the Municipal Council are in the political race in Doral, ahead of the November general elections: Chair 1 and Chair 3.
Chair 1 is currently occupied by Rafael Pineyro, while Chair 3 remains vacant following the decision of Vice Mayor and Councilor Oscar Puig not to run for re-election in office.
Miami-Dade Elections Department records show Pineyro’s rival is Ivette González Petkovich. Juan Carlos Esquivel, Nicole Reinoso and Irina Vilariño are aspiring for Chair 3.
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