{"id":1524,"date":"2026-06-08T19:31:33","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T19:31:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/floridamovingchronicle.com\/?p=1524"},"modified":"2026-06-08T19:31:33","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T19:31:33","slug":"this-coral-gables-commissioner-wont-seek-reelection-heres-why","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/floridamovingchronicle.com\/?p=1524","title":{"rendered":"This Coral Gables commissioner won\u2019t seek reelection. Here\u2019s why"},"content":{"rendered":"<article><!-- --><!-- --><!-- WPS-5038 -- removed the script from WPS and added the placeholder for trinity player --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- CONTENT --><!--[--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Coral Gables Commissioner Ariel Fernandez on Monday announced that he will not be seeking reelection in November, leaving open a seat that has already drawn at least two interested candidates.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/floridamovingchronicle.com\/?p=1522\">George Pino\u2019s Miami boat-crash trial begins. Follow for the latest updates<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Fernandez said in a video posted on Instagram that he would instead channel his efforts into pushing for a free and democratic Cuba.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs a son and grandson of Cuban immigrants who have never lived to see freedom return to their homeland, I feel a profound responsibility to help ensure that when Cuba is finally free, its people have the institutions, knowledge and opportunities necessary to remain free and independent,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe demands of that mission, including significant travel and professional commitments, would prevent me from devoting the time and attention that the residents of Coral Gables deserve from their commissioner,\u201d he added. \u201c &#8230; I have decided I will not seek re-election to the Coral Gables City Commission.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Fernandez\u2019s announcement came a few hours before the official launch of the city\u2019s candidate qualifying period for the November election, but also at a time when the Trump administration and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are ramping up efforts to free the people of Cuba from the island\u2019s communist regime. There are already two candidates \u2014 Jose A. Riera and Gonzalo Sanabria \u2014 who have signed up to compete for Fernandez\u2019s Group V seat.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Fernandez, who was first elected to the commission in April 2023, didn\u2019t give any specifics as to what type of projects he\u2019s working on, though he did name-drop CUBATEC, a <!--I got this from sunbiz records -->for-profit company founded by former Gables Commissioner Kirk Menendez that specializes in advising \u201cpro-democracy partners\u201d on how to \u201cprepare and responsibly engage in the future reconstruction of Cuba\u201d and empower the Cuban people, according to its website. Fernandez became the group\u2019s CEO in February, according to his LinkedIn.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Fernandez told the Miami Herald in a phone interview Monday that, as CUBATEC CEO, he\u2019s been working on projects related to education because \u201cfor democracy and free economy to be successful in Cuba, we can\u2019t just go in and change things, we have to educate people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/floridamovingchronicle.com\/?p=1521\">Off-duty rescuers getting R&amp;R at a Broward resort rushed to save a drowning boy<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>But the work has ramped up in recent weeks, said Fernandez, who explained that he\u2019s in the process of securing funding and talking with U.S.-based universities for the initiative. He expressed optimism that the regime will fall soon and stressed how important it is to make sure that the people of Cuba, who have been \u201cindoctrinated\u201d by the regime, have access to the necessary tools they need to avoid relying on government and ensure democracy and free market principles on the island.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy father and grandfather never got to see a free Cuba,\u201d Fernandez told the Herald. \u201cWhat better way to reward their sacrifice than ensuring in my lifetime Cuba is free and that there\u2019s a plan?\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Fernandez plans to finish his term, which \u2014 like the mayor and other commissioners \u2014 was shortened to accommodate moving city elections from April in odd-numbered years to November of even years. The change was approved by voters earlier this year to coincide with state and national elections.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Besides Fernandez, Gables voters will also find incumbents Mayor Vince Lago and Commissioner Melissa Castro on the ballot. So far, no one has signed up to run against the mayor. Castro is set to face off against challenger Nestor Menendez.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Whoever wins will help shape the power dynamics on the dais.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Fernandez was often on the winning side of votes when he was first elected in 2023, when both Commissioner Melissa Castro and Kirk Menendez were on the commission. The dynamic shifted in April 2025 after voters brought in newcomer Commissioner Richard Lara, and Kirk Menendez lost against Lago for mayor. Now, it\u2019s not unusual to find Fernandez and Castro at odds with Lago, Anderson and Lara.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Fernandez said the political chaos that sometimes erupts on and off the commission floor did not influence his decision to not seek reelection.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/floridamovingchronicle.com\/?p=1520\">George Pino\u2019s Miami boat-crash trial begins. Follow for the latest updates<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--]--><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Coral Gables Commissioner Ariel Fernandez will not seek reelection in November 2026 as he instead focuses on pro-democracy work for a free Cuba, he announced.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1523,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1524","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-coral-gables"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>This Coral Gables commissioner won\u2019t seek reelection. 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