Francis Suarez is finally gone.
After 16 years in city government — eight as a commissioner and eight as mayor — Miami’s self-appointed global brand ambassador, crypto whisperer and aspiring Silicon Valley mascot packed his bags one last time and left City Hall. On Thursday, he handed over the keys (hopefully not honorary ones) to former Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins, Miami’s first woman mayor and the first Democrat to hold the job in nearly three decades.
Suarez leaves behind two very different legacies — depending on who’s telling the story.
In his farewell op-ed in The Miami Herald, Suarez — the Miami-born son of the city’s first Cuban-born mayor — paints himself as the architect of “Miami for everyone,” a visionary who lowered taxes, raised wages, cut unemployment, tamed homelessness, modernized city government, expanded opportunity, fixed housing, boosted education, welcomed the world and somehow still made it home for dinner.
It’s a beautiful story. Polished. Aspirational. Almost influencer-ready.
It just leaves out a few things.
Like the part where being mayor increasingly seemed like a side hustle to Suarez’s real passion: being anywhere else.
Few Miami mayors have logged as many frequent flyer miles as Suarez. Qatar. Japan. South Korea. Saudi Arabia. The Texas border. Washington. A celebrity wedding in Egypt. 
New York. California. Campaign stops for a presidential run so short and uneventful, most voters never knew it happened.
Read related: Miami Mayor Francis Suarez is all over the place — except leading the city
And wherever Suarez went, city taxpayers followed — footing the bill for “dignitary protection,” luxury hotels and police travel while residents wondered why their mayor kept governing from 35,000 feet.
New Times lovingly dubbed him “The Wanderer.” Miami residents just wondered who was actually minding the city.
Suarez stood by and did nothing as the commissioner carved up their fiefdoms during the 2022 redistricting madness. He did nada as the commission humiliated and fired the police chief that he brought from Texas. He did absolutely nothing while former Commissioner Joe Carollo weaponized the city government against Little Havana property owners for political retaliation, costing the city millions in legal fees and settlements. And he did nothing as former Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla raided the Omni CRA and got city salaries for his personal campaign operatives who were no-show employees.
And, lest we forget, this is the guy who is single-handedly responsible for handing over the last public golf course in Miami, Melreese, to developers to build a mega retail/office complex disguised as a soccer stadium.
He became a national darling when he became Miami’s patient zero during the COVID pandemic, providing daily updates on national news about his symptoms and how he felt from his homebound quarantine. You could tell he liked being he national COVID commentator.
But Suarez will forever be remembered as the man who tried to turn Miami into the Crypto Capital of the World — and briefly convinced tech bros that a meme coin could replace city taxes.
MiamiCoin, we were told, would generate tens of millions, fund public services, fight homelessness, and maybe cure potholes 
while it was at it. Businesses were encouraged to accept it. Residents were promised Bitcoin dividends. He posed with a shiny robot bull — that sort of symbolizes his entire term in office — to show Miami was tech central.
By 2023, the only exchange supporting MiamiCoin pulled the plug. The coin became worthless. And Miami was left with a lesson it didn’t ask for: cities should not be run like speculative startups.
Read related: Miami Bull is exactly what absentee Mayor Francis Suarez has been selling
Then there was the speculative presidential campaign. Remember that? No? That’s okay — hardly anyone does.
Suarez entered the 2024 GOP primary, polled at 0.2%, failed to qualify for the debate he insisted he’d be on, and dropped out after two weeks. It was one of the shortest non-fringe presidential campaigns in modern American history. Highlights included offering $20 Visa gift cards to donors and publicly asking, on conservative radio, “What’s a Uyghur?” — later referring to them as “Weebles.”
Global leadership, indeed.
Suarez also managed to court controversy closer to home.
There was the Formula 1 ethics complaint after he attended pricy VIP events — with his campaign fundraiser Brian Goldmeier — courtesy of billionaire Ken Griffin while Citadel was 
exploring a move to Miami. The complaint was dismissed — he reimbursed the tickets — but the optics lingered.
There were the Saudi appearances, including a front-row seat near Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at an esports event in Riyadh — spotted not by city disclosure, but by livestream — just a day after Suarez posted an Instagram story suggesting he was enjoying “Miami afternoons.”
But that’s not the worst part, him being a liar. He’s also an apologist to murderers and thugs.
Suarez organized and promoted the 2023 Future Investment Initiative Priority Summit, a Miami Beach event sponsored by the government of Saudi Arabia, which was under investigation by the US. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs for using American assets to boost efforts to clean up the regime’s image. This is the same government that stands accused of arbitrary arrests, torture and political assassinations, like the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was ambushed and strangled by a 15-member squad of Saudi operatives. His body was dismembered and disposed of in some way that was never publicly revealed. People suspect it was in suitcases.
And still, he hoped to get Trump’s appointment to be ambassador there. He even gave him a key to the city last month. Before gave the real ones to Higgins.
Read related: What corruption probe? Mayor Francis Suarez enjoys Egypt wedding, Miami F1
Perhaps the most striking contrast comes not from policy, but from personal finance.
Suarez entered office with a modest net worth of about $400,000. He leaves with more than $5 million. This is fueled, in part, by his side gigs, including the $10,000 a month he was getting as a “consultant” for developer Rishi Kapoor while Kapoor secured 
permits for his projects. This “commitment as a public official” became part of the FBI investigation into Kapoor’s business.
That doesn’t make Baby X corrupt. But it does raise an eyebrow — especially for a mayor who insisted his focus was always local, always neighborhood-based, always for everyone.
He’s not only gotten richer, Suarez has gotten buffer, posting work-out videos often. In fact, he loves the TV so much he might do a fitness show for cable next.
There are a lot of possibilities — and speculations. Will he run for higher office? Congress? Governor? Will he go to work for some huge development firm? Or Griffith? Whatever he does next is worth watching. But at least he won’t do it on the taxpayer dime.
Read related: Miami Mayor Francis Suarez gave Trump a key to city; gave us the finger
Now he can hang out with Javier Milei, who represses freedom of press and clamps down on protests and dissent in Argentina, or Jeff Bezos, who also spoke at his America Business Forum last month, where the postalita mayor gave Donald Trump a key 
to the city. Or Richard Branson on his island like he did on Election Day.
Francis Suarez wanted to make Miami global. And in many ways, he did — as a brand, a buzzword, a backdrop for conferences, crypto schemes, and international photo ops.
But while Miami went global, many residents stayed stuck: priced out of housing, stuck in traffic, watching rents soar and wages chase inflation.
Suarez leaves behind a city more famous than ever — and more divided about who that fame actually served.
Now Miami turns the page.
No more MiamiCoin promises. No more presidential auditions. No more mayors spotted abroad by accident.
Just the hard work of governing a city — on the ground, at home, and in full view of the people who live here.
Goodbye, Francis. And good riddance.
Safe travels.
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One of Francis Suarez’s police drivers got paid $225,000 base pay and $75,000+ in perks and benefits. That is a $325,000+ pay and benefit package to be a chauffeur driver to a No Show Mayor. Suarez stole from taxpayers 24/7.
”Each policeman gets a $225,000 per year pay and benefit package”
Problem are not the REAL police who patrol do their jobs but the Brigades who spend MOST of their shift texting , looking at social media , doing everything but their job in a city of zero accountability .
For the folks wondering why Fransisi never fired Art…that’s because they’re besties in the con. They got out together, with their respective kids. It’s a scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours situation. I’m sure they’ve all got dirt on each other, like the spiderman meme.
Also, for anyone wondering what property Noriega kept from his first wife (who was owed alimony and child support payment), it’s one in Kendallwood (which is unlisted). He bought it via an LLC (Wajiro Development LLC) in 2015, then deeded it to his second wife in 2020, who then deeded it to Art in 2021. WHY? Well, now you know why.
Total scumbag but so is his wife who is KNOWN for gifting designer purses and under-the-table cash bonuses to procurement offices across the state and beyond. That is a well-known Pradere grift.
They totally deserve each other.
Did anyone ever hear Francis Suarez object to the taxpayers being forced to pay over $10 Million in legal fees to defend corrupt and guilty Joe Carollo? Francis was too busy stealing to
know what was really happening at the City of Miami.
Fransissi never fired Art Noreiga when Noriega was caught numerous times using his City Manager to funnel money to his second wife. Paying her $60,000 for a table that costs $4,000
at Target? Mayor Francis Suarez never took steps to stop the corruption at City Hall perhaps because he was profiting? Grifting. Selling his Mayor’s seat to collect lobbyist fees for himself… Everyone knew. And Grifter Fransissi never endorsed his own father who ran to replace him. Hmm,
What did Suarez do when Art Noriega was caught re: his wife’s FurnitureGate? Nothing.
When Noriega’s chief of staff was caught in RodeoGate? Nothing.
Francis Suarez forced Miami’s taxpayers to pay over $1 Million per year for his three-four 24/7 armed police chauffeurs driving a $85,000 City SUV. Each policeman gets a $225,000 per year pay and benefit package. Taxpayers got screwed, Fransissi got rich.
Grifter Mayor. Some weeks no one at City Hall would see Francis Suarez. No Show Mayor. He was out looking for side gigs. He was a lobbyist to criminals. He gave away the only golf course in Miami. Scum.
Goodbye and good riddance! Total and complete lack of leadership and direction for the city. He is, much like the current occupant of the WH, a grifter. The city was in complete and total freefall thanks to his incompetent and also grifter city manager. Francis Suarez will be considered the most self serving mayor that did nothing to better the lives of his constituents but walked out a millionaire. How he wasn’t arrested is a mystery to me. And if you think Miami is better off now than it was pre pandemic, I want whatever you’re smoking. Miamians have a terrible quality of life and the city has an affordability issue. Please know that Francis has zero value now since he can’t offer up the city. He’s just a mediocre attorney that will hopefully fade into the sunset.
Good riddance, indeed. Grifting away Miami’s only golf course to his friends his low point.
Gracias, Ladra, for telling it like it is.
Dear county project manager: Thanks for reading. But you are wrong, I have a pretty good idea of what is happening in Argentina. I read a lot of international press and have friends who live there or are from there.
There have been attacks on freedom of expression and freedom of the press, including reduced access to public records and changes in freedom-of-information laws. Journalists have been physically injured and hit with tear gas. Human rights watch groups and Amnesty International argue that the government’s anti-picket protocols and security policies have led to excessive use of force against peaceful demonstrators, including rubber bullets and serious injuries, criminalization of protest and dissent, particularly targeting social movements and unemployed groups, arrests and violent suppression of demonstrations.
The government is also increasingly accused of undermining Democratic and judicial institutions. Milei’s critics warn that his actions are eroding institutional checks and balances. He’s appointed Supreme Court judges by decree, bypassing the Senate process, which undermines judicial independence. Legal experts and rights organizations argue this weakens the rule of law.
Rights-focused bodies and NGOs note that the government has also downgraded or dismantled human rights offices, like the Human Rights Secretariat, with major staff cuts, defunded institutions that document past atrocities, including archives tied to military dictatorship crimes, and cut agencies related to women’s rights and justice access, affecting services mostly used by the marginalized. These policy shifts have also weakened protections for gender-based violence victims and gender equality safeguards, undermining past advances in reproductive and LGBTQ rights. There have also been reports of rising femicides and rhetoric seen as dismissive of structural inequality.
Furthermore, Argentina has renounced its candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council, a move that many groups see as distancing the country from global rights commitments and signaling a retreat from human rights leadership.
The erosion of institutional protections and the increasingly hostile political rhetoric contribute to a climate of intimidation. Experts warn the Argentina risks backsliding from its previously robust human rights framework.
But then again, this is where the Nazis fled to. So who knows?
What do you know about Argentina?
Love, Ladra
”Perhaps, Ladra should consider to relocate to La Habana, and there she could see what ‘nada’ means in terms of government leadership.”
So we should put up with the TYPICAL low standard pocket lining , self serving Cuban politicos only because better then Habana ?
”All you need kids is to sell your soul, keep quiet while crime creeps out your offices and take steroids.”
lol agree as far as Miami politics are zero standards but doubt he takes steroids he simply works out .
The sell your soul , sell out the people , zero ethics , zero morals is standard in Miami Cuban politicos and it spills over into the mostly Cuban police .
Yet places like Miami VA the mostly Cuban police there are magnificent , real pros to be commended but outside of that an embarrassment not all but IMO MOST ( I do not work at VA just calling it like it is ) .
Good riddance.
Let’s make sure his police escort and 24/7 police stop immediately!
“No Show Mayor”
Baby Mayor
CrossFit Addict
Grifter Mayor
Scammer Suarez
Fransissi
Let this be a story for the kids, you can really accomplish anything you want to in life, no need for good grades, hard work, and integrity and morales needed.
All you need kids is to sell your soul, keep quiet while crime creeps out your offices and take steroids.
The world can be yours or anyone! Clueless and more stories will come out soon.
Single soon
You have not gotten the slightest fvcking clue of what’s really going on in Argentina. Inform yourself before spewing nonsense.
I am glad to see that Ladra agrees all the contributions to Miami by Francis Suarez: “lowered taxes, raised wages, cut unemployment, tamed homelessness, modernized city government, expanded opportunity, fixed housing, boosted education, welcomed the world”.
These ‘nada’ accomplishments beat every single mayor across the US.
Perhaps, Ladra should consider to relocate to La Habana, and there she could see what ‘nada’ means in terms of government leadership.