After finishing third in the Miami-Dade mayoral election, rejecting the results, demanding a vote recount due to suspicions of "fraud," and making other controversial statements, Cuban influencer and candidate Alexander Otaola decided to take a vacation this past Saturday.
Using hashtags like #vacationsmodeon, #dreambeaches, and #farawayescape, the influencer posted an image at the Miami airport, implying he was heading out for a getaway following his electoral defeat to the current mayor, Daniella Levine Cava, who secured 60 percent of the vote.
Without revealing his vacation destination, Otaola shared another image of himself inside the plane. "So far away, my God! I still have several hours to go! America, you're huge," he wrote, accompanied by the hashtag #miamibyebye.
Election Controversy and Recount Demands
In the recently held mayoral election for Miami-Dade County, where a significant portion of the Spanish-speaking community is of Cuban origin (nearly one million), Otaola came in third with 12 percent of the votes, trailing behind Miami Lakes' Republican Mayor, Manny Cid, who garnered 22 percent.
"We do not recognize the results of these elections until each vote is counted," Otaola declared to his followers in a defiant speech after the results were announced. "If there is no fraud, I will acknowledge the result, but if there is even the slightest doubt of irregularity, we have the legal right to demand a recount," he added. "We have won because today we are all winners; we've achieved what traditional politicians have not."
The mayoral candidate urged his supporters to join the call for an electoral recount. "I ask everyone to be part of this recount, to be present in this recount, and for everyone in Miami-Dade not to settle for the political mediocrity that governs them," he stated.
Shortly after, Otaola's campaign manager, Andy Santana, argued in an email to the Miami-Dade Elections Department that a recount was essential to ensure the accuracy of the results, based on the alleged closeness of the race. The request was denied by the Department, citing that "recounts are not conducted upon request" and explaining that state laws only allow an automatic recount when the margin is half a percentage point or less, which was not the case in this election where Levine Cava led her nearest competitor by over 34 percentage points.
Otaola addressed his followers on Thursday to explain how he felt after the election results and clarified that "nothing was lost yet." "I am strong, with my head held high. An election is about winning or losing. Anything can happen in an election. What we are demanding at this moment is transparency, so we can see that we lost without any hindrance," he said in a video.
He also denied that the Elections Department had dismissed a recount and indicated that the official petition had not yet been sent and that there was a ten-day window to do so.
Key Questions About the Miami-Dade Mayoral Election
This section addresses some of the most pressing questions related to the recent Miami-Dade mayoral election and Alexander Otaola's actions following his loss.
Why did Alexander Otaola demand a vote recount?
Otaola demanded a vote recount due to suspicions of "fraud" and to ensure the accuracy of the election results.
What was the response of the Miami-Dade Elections Department to the recount request?
The Miami-Dade Elections Department denied the recount request, stating that recounts are not conducted upon request and are only allowed when the margin is half a percentage point or less.
What was the outcome of the Miami-Dade mayoral election?
Daniella Levine Cava won the Miami-Dade mayoral election with 60 percent of the vote, followed by Manny Cid with 22 percent, and Alexander Otaola with 12 percent.