MIAMI.- The electoral team of Juan Carlos Esquivel, candidate for the position of councilman in the city of Doral, filed a formal complaint with the Miami-Dade Ethics and Public Trust Commission for alleged theft and destruction of campaign material.
According to the complaint, on July 15, between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., Esquivel volunteer staff placed flyers hanging on doors at residences in the Downtown Doral and White Course areas of that municipality.
Hours later, however, campaign officials received an “anonymous message” reporting that Esquivel’s promotional materials had been found lying on the street, according to the complaint.
In addition, Esquivel’s electoral team received “photographic evidence” that would show that the materials were not only discarded in the street, but were also placed in garbage cans, according to the complaint and seen in an image sent by the candidate’s campaign. THE AMERICAS DAILY.
Jonathan Massiani, Esquivel’s campaign manager, denounced the action as “completely unacceptable” and that the amount of damaged material found in the streets and adjacent areas was significant.
Massiani told our newspaper on Friday that “the number of door hangers (door handles) thrown away is difficult to specify,” but he indicated that “there would be around 400.”
“Not only are we reporting this to the authorities, but we are also reaching out to the residents of the properties in question to see if they can provide us with video evidence that identifies the individual(s) responsible for this reprehensible act,” Massiani said.
Esquivel’s team also announced that it will be collecting additional evidence door-to-door, since — they say — they have the legal right to distribute their campaign materials, according to the laws and regulations of the Miami-Dade Elections Department.
Massiani said they will pursue the case through all necessary channels to ensure that their rights are respected. “We appreciate any assistance and cooperation that can be provided.”
Juan Carlos Esquivel is a transportation businessman and political activist who is running for a seat on the Doral City Council for the third time. He is competing for Seat 3 against Nicole Reinoso and Irina Vilariño in the elections that will take place on November 5.
