Just one day after taking the oath of office and saying that he was ready to extend his hand to his colleagues and work together “not as factions divided by yesterday’s campaign, but as neighbors united in tomorrow’s purpose,” re-elected Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago lashed out at Commissioner Melissa Castro at the Carnaval de Barranquilla event in downtown Coral Gables.
He called her a “venomous snake” in front of several dignitaries and city staffers, refused to take a photograph with her and told others present that she was “bad news,” Castro told Political Cortadito late Saturday.
Read related: Coral Gables electeds sworn in; pledge unity, stability after bitter divisions
“He said he was going to ruin my life, that he was going to make sure I’m not elected in two years, that he’s going to get me out,” a shaken Castro said, shortly after she posted this video on her Instagram story.
“I am walking out of the Carnaval de Barranquilla festivities, where they called me to say a few words because I am the first Colombian commissioner in the last 100 years, and I am in disbelief right now at the disrespect and humiliation that Vince Lago 
has done to me in front of my child, right next to my child.” Castro says breathlessly, as she walks away from the event at Ponce Circle Park.
Her son, wearing a team shirt from La Seleccion Colombia, goes on the camera and testifies that Lago called Castro a snake.
“Actually, a venomous snake,” the 8-year-old corrects himself. “He wouldn’t take a picture with you and he pushed you aside,” he told his mother.
Nice, Vinnie. Looks like you’re learning how to treat women from your friend, former Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla.
“It is not possible that he would treat a woman who has done nothing to him, and since Day One, he has attacked me,” Castro said in her Instagram post, visibly shaken and fighting off tears.
Castro told Ladra that the Colombian consular officials were shocked and didn’t know what to do. They asked her to please go on stage separately from him, to appease the mayor.
Lago did not return calls and texts to his phone. As usual. But sources who were there confirmed what happened, and one told Ladra the mayor has never before been to the event, now in it’s fourth year. So, it looks like he wanted to stir things up. The organizers will be lucky if he doesn’t take away the city’s sponsorship because organizers invited Castro to speak.
This is not the first time that Lago takes digs at Castro and Ladra has wondered if he maybe has a secret crush on her.
Read related: In Coral Gables, Melissa Castro calls out Vince Lago for his rudeness, disrespect
In 2023, five months after she was elected, she called him out for his disrespectful actions, which include not referring to them at events and cutting them out of photos he posts on social media. Saturday’s actions are much worse. It seems things are escalating.
One might think that winning his election and getting his slate elected, which gives Lago back the majority on the commission, would soften him up some. Turns out he’s just as much a sore winner as he is a sore loser. What’s Lago still so angry about?
And what can Castro do? People just re-elected this bully with 55% approval. The police chief is on his side. The city manager is on his side, having sent an email to residents five days before the election to say how great the city was doing.
She was so hopeful at the swearing-in ceremony, too.
“These past two years have been rocky, but I’m pretty sure that moving forward we will find civility, peace, harmony,” Castro said Friday, one day before she was “disrespected and humiliated” at Ponce Circle Park.
“If it was up to me, this would be a beautiful, united commission. I’m looking forward to great days again.”
Yeah, Ladra is pretty sure that she doesn’t feel that way now.
In an email late Saturday to Police Chief Ed Hudak, Castro said “his behavior was not only abusive but also a blatant attempt intimidate me into quitting. Despite my telling him that my child was present, he persisted.”
She seems to ask Hudak for police protection and makes a chilling statement: “Let me know how to document this please, and if anything happens to me after this email… let it be known that he is to blame.
“I am a woman and a harmless public servant who deserves respect and a safe environment. This tarnishes the image of Coral Gables and creates a hostile environment for public officials,” Castro wrote. “There were numerous witnesses to this outburst and his behavior demonstrates a pater of bullying and vindictiveness. The mayor’s vindictive actions, including his threats to ruin my life and remove me from my position over the next two years, are unacceptable.”
She said that Economic Development Director Belkis Perez and International Business Development Coordinator Leticia Perez witnessed the confrontation, “though they might be too intimidated to speak up given the mayor’s known vindictive nature.
“What’s most alarming is that the mayor felt emboldened to humiliate and disrespect me in front of numerous people, including my child. Crossing that line shows he has no scruples and is unhinged. I fear for my safety and what he might do next,” Castro wrote, requesting “immediate measures to ensure my safety at future public events and that the mayor be held accountable for his actions. This kind of behavior cannot continue.”
Unfortunately, Ladra is afraid that this type of behavior is just getting started.
Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago lashes out at Commissioner Melissa Castro added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
