14-05-2025
Hialeah's city council, deadlocked over vacant seat, reopens qualification period
The Hialeah City Council is in deadlock.
What was supposed to be a routine appointment turned into political gridlock as the council failed to agree on who should fill a vacant council seat, leaving the city without a clear path forward.
At her first meeting as interim mayor, Jacqueline Garcia-Roves presided over a contentious, hour-and-a-half-long debate that ended in a stalemate. The council remains split 3-3 over who should replace her on the dais during her temporary mayoral tenure.
On one side: Council Members Luis Rodriguez, Carl Zogby and Juan Junco, who backed only one candidate — William Marrero, 21, a former aide to Rodriguez. Marrero is pursuing a public administration degree at FIU after earning an associate's degree in Public Policy and Services.
On the other side: Melinda De La Vega, Jesus Tundidor and Monica Perez, who supported any of the other five applicants — just not Marrero.
De La Vega and Perez argued that Marrero lacks the life experience needed to serve as interim council member, particularly for a role that faces public scrutiny and pressure. However, Perez added that she would support him if he chooses to run in an election.
Every vote ended in a 3-3 tie. No progress. No appointment. Even when a motion was made to table the matter, the council instead revisited nominations for the other six candidates:
▪ Gelien Perez, 35, is a former Hialeah Human Resources Director who was investigated for allegedly using her city position to benefit her personal real estate business between 2018 and 2020. She resigned in January 2022. Her real estate license remains active through September 2026. Originally from Cuba, Perez holds a master's degree in legal studies and another in human resources management.
▪ Luis Antonio Morales, 34, is a mortgage broker and president of Major League Mortgage. He holds an Associate of Arts degree in marketing from Miami Dade College.
▪ Juan Santana, 42, is a community activist and a three-time mayoral candidate who has also filed for interim council seats multiple times. He advocates for government transparency, more affordable housing for workers, and lower trash collection and water bills. Santana has a high school diploma and is vice president of Positive Hits Community Service Group South, a nonprofit serving low-income residents in Hialeah.
▪ Kassandra Montandon, 30, leads several education initiatives, including a financial literacy program for low- to moderate-income students in Miami-Dade Public Schools and at Miami Dade College, including its Hialeah campus. She holds an Associate of Arts degree in Psychology from Miami Dade College and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Florida International University.
▪ Javier Morejon, 34, works as a city surveyor for Miami Gardens. He is a member of the Miami-Dade County Historic Preservation Board and previously served on Hialeah's Beautification Committee Board.
▪ Abdel Jimenez, 45, is an attorney who earned his law degree from the University of Miami and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. He owns and operates his own law firm and is a former police officer with the Miami Springs Police Department. Jimenez currently serves on the city's Planning and Zoning Board.
Under the city charter, the council has just 30 days to fill Garcia-Roves' vacancy, either by appointment or by calling a special election. Garcia-Roves was sworn in as interim mayor on April 28, following the resignation of Mayor Esteban 'Steve' Bovo the day before. That clock is now ticking.
Garcia-Roves did not speak during the vote. While walking out of the chamber, she told the Miami Herald that 'they'—referring to those opposed to Marrero's appointment—had turned the vote into a 'political thing.' When asked whether she supported Marrero, Garcia-Roves said she had nothing against any candidate. Although she hasn't decided whether to run for the mayor's seat after her interim period runs out, she added, 'If they keep putting on a show, they might help me make up my mind.'
Former Mayor Raul Martinez told the Herald that a deadlock forcing the council to reopen the qualification process is unprecedented in the city's history.
Candidate qualifications have been reopened until May 23. At the next council meeting on May 27, the council must break the deadlock or face the cost of a special election.
The last special election in 2022 cost $44,000, according to the office of the Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections. The final amount could vary depending on the timing and whether the city shares the ballot with a Miami-Dade County, state or national election. In 2023, a general election that included several municipalities within the county, including Hialeah, cost the city more than $415,000.
