Hialeah appoints interim councilwoman after Angelica Pacheco’s arrest and suspension
Amid the turmoil following Angelica Pacheco’s removal from office after her arrest on federal healthcare fraud charges, the city of Hialeah has appointed Melinda De La Vega, 38, as an interim council member. De La Vega will fill the vacancy until a special election is held in November 2025 for someone to permanently occupy the seat.
De La Vega, who has no prior political experience, currently serves as vice president of the Hialeah Lions Club, a nonprofit focused on supporting the elderly, individuals with special needs, and families in need. Her background in community service is seen as a valuable asset to her new role, council members said.
Councilwoman Monica Perez moved to appoint De La Vega, praising her spirit of public service. “Her contributions, including her volunteer work with the Lion Club and the city’s beautification board, are noteworthy,” Perez stated. “I have no doubt that she will be a champion for our local entrepreneurs and a fantastic asset to the council.”
De La Vega’s appointment was approved with five votes in favor from Jesus Tundidor, Monica Perez, Jacqueline Garcia-Roves, Carl Zogby and Luis Rodriguez, while Bryan Calvo cast the sole dissenting vote.
Calvo questioned the mayor’s decision to schedule the special council meeting in mid-July, arguing that the council could have convened earlier following Pacheco’s removal from office on June 25.
The interim council member previously told el Nuevo Herald that her primary focus will be on enhancing the city’s community services, particularly for vulnerable and elderly populations.
“My goal is to create opportunities for local businesses and beautify the city,” she said. “I want to make Hialeah a more attractive and pleasant place to live by improving public spaces and ensuring that green areas remain clean and safe.”
De La Vega holds a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration and human resources and serves on Hialeah’s Historic Preservation Board.
Despite her clean record, De La Vega’s appointment has raised concerns about the potential lack of an independent voice on the council. Her role on the Historic Preservation Board, a position to which she was appointed by the mayor in January for a three-year term, has led some to question her independence.
Some residents had anticipated De La Vega’s appointment, expressing concerns that she might be a “yes person.” Jose Azze, 60, a longtime resident and former Parks and Recreation Department employee, urged council members to vote for someone who would provide an independent perspective.
“I’m asking that you be the independent voices our residents elected you to be,” Azze said before the appointment.
Sources at City Hall have told el Nuevo Herald that some candidates were reportedly discouraged from applying for the vacancy under threat of mayoral veto. Such a veto could potentially overturn the appointment if the council selected a candidate who did not receive at least four of the six available votes.
Among the nine candidates for the position, four are currently serving on city boards, including Veterans Affairs, Personnel, Historic Preservation and the Beautification Committee.
Mayor Esteban “Steve” Bovo told el Nuevo Herald that his only discussions with council members were to suggest that candidates who had previously run for office without success should seek election rather than appointment. He specifically mentioned former councilwoman Vivian Casals-Munoz, who lost to Pacheco last year, and Eduardo “Eddie” Santiesteban, who lost to Calvo in 2021.
“If you have run for office and not won, you should pursue the position through an electoral process,” Bovo said.
However, when the process began two weeks ago, the mayor’s office told el Nuevo Herald that Santiesteban, a longtime activist who fought for the opening of the bridge between Miami Lakes and Hialeah, and Casals-Munoz were “very interested” to be considered as an interim council. None submitted an application.
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Casals-Munoz was in the audience Tuesday, along with another former councilwoman: Katharine Cue-Fuente, who left office in 2017. Cue-Fuente is married to Hialeah Police Chief George Fuente.
Lack of representatives in the east and northwest of the city
De La Vega’s appointment means that six of the seven council members reside in west Hialeah, with only Jacqueline Garcia-Roves living on the east side. Hialeah’s public records show that three of the council members — Jesus Tundidor, Monica Perez and De La Vega — live within a mile of each other, raising questions about geographical representation in a city with a quarter-million residents.
Residents of Hialeah, the second-largest city in Miami-Dade County, elect their council members through general elections in which all voters participate in choosing the members of the City Council. Unlike the city of Miami, Hialeah does not have district representation. Although Calvo proposed creating districts 16 months ago, his proposal did not gain support from other council members.
“The city of Miami, which is comparable in size to us, has a district model, and smaller cities like Doral and Miami Springs have representatives from across their entire territories,” he noted in March 2023. “Our city has grown significantly since its founding 98 years ago, and looking ahead, this is something we need to consider.”
The last candidate to submit his documents for Pacheco’s vacancy, Eduardo Lavin, 48, resides in Hialeah Heights — an annex area located northwest of Hialeah between Hialeah Gardens and Miami Lakes. He filed on Friday evening to advocate for better representation within the city.
“We in the annex are essentially like a small township, with 20,000 residents — almost as many as Miami Lakes or Hialeah Gardens — but we lack adequate representation in the city,” said Lavin, who has previously advocated for the opening of the bridge between Miami Lakes and Hialeah.
He added: “I had hoped the annex would receive more respect from the city, but they discouraged both Santiesteban and myself. The annex is the fastest-growing area in the city and contributes significantly in taxes.”
Lavin informed el Nuevo Herald that Santiesteban was unable to file his candidacy because a politician had told him he could not serve as a council member for the seat.
El Nuevo Herald reached out to Santiesteban for comment, but he declined to answer.
