Xavier Suarez

Xavier Suarez
Official portrait, c. 2010s
35th and 39th Mayor of Miami
In office
November 14, 1997 – March 12, 1998
Preceded byJoe Carollo
Succeeded byJoe Carollo
In office
November 14, 1985 – November 11, 1993
Preceded byMaurice Ferré
Succeeded byStephen P. Clark
Member of the Miami-Dade Board of Commissioners
from the 7th district
In office
May 24, 2011 – November 17, 2020
Preceded byCarlos A. Giménez
Succeeded byRaquel Regalado
Personal details
BornXavier Louis Suarez
(1949-05-21) May 21, 1949
PartyDemocratic (before 2010)
Republican (2010–2012, 2020–2025)
Independent (2012–2020, 2025–present)
SpouseRita Suarez
Children4, including Francis
RelativesAlex Mooney (nephew)
EducationVillanova University (BS)
Harvard University (MPP, JD)

Xavier Louis Suarez (born May 21, 1949) is an American politician who twice served as Mayor of Miami (1985–1993 and 1997–1998). He was the first Cuban-born individual to serve as the city's mayor. Suarez latter served as a Miami-Dade county commissioner (2011–2020). He was an unsuccessful candidate in the 1996 Dade County mayoral election, 2020 Miami-Dade County mayoral election, and the 2025 Miami mayoral election.