There was one word that mayoral candidate Julio Robaina kept bringing up in the debate Wednesday night by The Miami Foundation at the University of Miami that caused Ladra’s ears to perk up every time: “We.”
Robaina keeps referring to himself in plural. Is he planning to clone himself or suffering from a multiple personality disorder?
“When we are mayor,” the former Hialeah mayor said.
“That’s what we will bring as mayor of Miami-Dade County,” he said.
Who is we? Well, Ladra would ask Robaina, but he and his campaign operatives have made it clear that they will not speak to me or answer any of my questions (more on that later). So I am asking it here in public and they can answer publicly or anonymously (again) if they wish.
But I will also make my educated guess about the “we” that is on the ballot for mayor. And we (Ladra and I) say it is a long list, indeed, of political allies and business partners which includes: real estate and development partners like Martin Caparros, Jr., and Sergio Pino, banker Roberto Cayon, disgraced lawmakers like former State Rep. Ralph Arza and his bully brother Hugo, federal racketeering suspects (indicted in 2004 in connection with the famous Battle case but not eventually charged) Tom Cabrerizo and Yoram Izhak, illegal gaming maquinita kings Gustavo Cordoves, Jesus Abreu and Jesus Navarro and LBA President Bernie Navarro (is there a relation? anyone?).
There could be more characters in Robaina’s mayoral “we” committee. But he should tell us who they are so people know who they are voting for.