Otaola Officially Launches His Campaign for Miami Mayor

April 25, 2023

Alexander Otaola, the Cuban influencer, has officially launched his campaign for the Miami-Dade mayoralty. The Cuban actor, host, writer, and activist made the announcement at his residence in Homestead, known as the Anticommunist Ranch, accompanied by his followers.

He had already made an unofficial announcement in June 2022, where he expressed his determination to rid Miami of communists. Now, the official launch coincides with a new anniversary of the program Hola! Ota-Ola, which is broadcast from the Cubanos por el Mundo platform.

Republican Roger Stone, former advisor to Donald Trump, has shown his support for Otaola and compared him to politicians such as David Dwight Eisenhower or Ronald Reagan, who came from other walks of American life, one from acting and another from the military, just like Otaola. Stone allegedly said that "it would be interesting to see such an unconventional candidacy" as that of the Cuban influencer.

In his launch speech, Otaola appeared passionate and committed to the Miami-Dade community. In a previous video, he addressed potential voters in English before continuing in Spanish: "I am running today to fight them and defeat them," referring to Cuba's communist dictatorship and the intention to bring communism to the United States of America. He also mentioned his desire to create a prosperous and different Miami-Dade.

Otaola's candidacy has generated interest in the political world due to his fame as an influencer and activist. However, some critics have pointed out that his campaign is based on anticommunist rhetoric and lacks a solid political program. Nevertheless, Otaola has managed to gather a significant number of followers and has received support from influential political figures such as Roger Stone.

"Freedom is the only path for Cuba and we will all work for it, both those inside and those outside," Otaola affirmed. The influencer also highlighted the need to cut the subsidies that Cuba's dictators receive, instead of supporting the Cuban people. According to him, it is necessary to "cut that funding that Cuba's dictatorship receives from our county," since traditional politicians have done nothing about it.

Beyond his promises for Cuba, Otaola has also addressed local issues, such as his intention to promote the legalization of marijuana in Miami-Dade. These issues, along with his focus on the fight against communism, may gain him the support of many voters in the county.

The election for the position of Miami-Dade County Mayor will take place in August 2024, and if necessary, there will be a runoff in November of that same year. The current mayor, Daniella Levine Cava, has already registered her candidacy to seek reelection in the upcoming elections.

At some point in the coming year, candidates will have to submit a series of documents to the Elections Department detailing their financial situation, community property, properties, bank statements, and expenses. If they fail to do so, they would be excluded from the electoral process.