Three Doral council candidates are promising to end the polarization. Who are they?

Doral is currently engulfed in polarization and conflict, with political forces influencing decision-making in a way that residents say is hindering the city’s development.

The upcoming general election presents an opportunity for change. Three positions are at stake: the mayoral seat, Councilman Rafael Pineyro’s seat and Vice Mayor Oscar Puig-Corve’s seat. Puig-Corve is not seeking reelection.

Mayor Christi Fraga and Pineyro are currently unopposed, while three candidates are vying for Puig-Corve’s seat, each promising to be the voice of the residents. They present themselves as alternatives to ease confrontation on the council, with proposals that prioritize Doral’s progress.

The candidates, all of Hispanic origin, reflect Doral’s demographics, where 82% of the population is from Latin America. Two of them have previously run for office unsuccessfully, while one has already been involved in the municipality’s political structure, but all assure residents that their vote will be independent. Despite the nonpartisan position, all have aligned with the Republican Party.

Irina Vilariño: Ending injustices

Irina Vilariño, 48, is a businesswoman and single mother. She was part of the Mariel exodus, leaving Cuba with her parents and four sisters at the age of 4. She holds a degree in business administration and co-owns Las Vegas Cuban Cuisine, a restaurant chain in South Florida built with her family.

While Vilariño has not held public office, she ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in Florida’s 26th District in 2019 but withdrew after then-President Donald J. Trump endorsed then-Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez, who is now a congressman.

Now, she sees an opportunity at the local level, where she believes her political involvement will have a greater impact. Vilariño promises to end injustices in Doral and offer her experience as a businesswoman and political activist.

“I am a product of injustice. While I appreciate the values and concepts of this great nation, I would have liked to have grown up in my own country,” Vilariño said. “I dislike people who claim to work for the common good but then profit from those positions.”

She advocates for law and order in Doral, proposing to increase police salaries to attract more personnel. She also wants to create alternatives to the affordable housing crisis in a city where the average rent exceeds $2,500.

Though she has lived in Doral for only two years, she believes her 15-year business relationship with the city qualifies her for the council. Two of her restaurants are located in Doral.

Vilariño does not view her opponents as enemies. “I am not running against anyone,” she said. “I am running to contribute, to build bridges of understanding, to work together for the benefit of the people we represent.”

Juan Carlos Esquivel: Negotiating with legislators

Juan Carlos Esquivel, 58, was born in Venezuela to a Cuban father and a Venezuelan mother. He is married, with four children and three grandchildren, and holds a master’s degree in business administration. Since 1991, he has run companies in the transportation and logistics industry in Doral.

He is chairman and director of Doral Voice, a nonprofit digital radio station promoting social activism in the city.

His political platform is based on a vision of zero tolerance for bullying, which he says is a severe problem in the city, and zero tolerance for infractions.

He emphasizes security as the cornerstone of his campaign, starting with strengthening school safety and creating neighborhood watch programs. “We need more police on the streets, more police vehicles,” he said.

To address traffic issues, Esquivel proposes designing interconnected trolley routes to encourage residents to leave their cars behind while working or enjoying the city.

Understanding that Doral is a city of immigrants, Esquivel wants to promote a support program for the new community, serving as a “desk within City Hall to help new residents avoid scams, get their licenses and find schools for their children.”

Esquivel advocates for a strategic shift within the council, emphasizing the importance of establishing state and federal connections to bolster the city’s financial resources. “We are busy locally, but we should actively pursue additional funding opportunities to better serve our community,” he said.

He criticizes the prevailing atmosphere within the city council, pointing out that instead of being mired in polarization, the focus should be on fostering consensus and agreements that tangibly improve residents’ lives.

This marks Esquivel’s third bid for a seat on the Doral council. His initial campaign in 2020 pitted him against Puig-Corve for the very seat he now vies for, followed by a subsequent attempt in 2022 challenging Councilwoman Digna Cabral.

Nicole Reinoso: From public servant to political office

Nicole Reinoso, 38, was born in Puerto Rico to a Puerto Rican father and a Cuban mother. She is married and has three children. She holds a degree in health services administration and an MBA and recently passed the Florida Bar exam to practice law.

Five years ago, she moved with her family to Doral, where she served as a legislative analyst for Fraga when Fraga was a councilwoman in 2019.

During her tenure, Reinoso was involved in a controversy over enrolling her children in the Downtown Doral Charter School. Then-City Attorney Luis Figueredo accused her of illegally using the city seal to secure her children’s spots. However, the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust concluded that Reinoso had not violated the ethical code or engaged in a conflict of interest.

“It is really sad that some people at that time, to win, attacked for political reasons, not me, but the person I worked for at the time,” Reinoso said.

Currently, Reinoso is an executive director with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, a position she intends to keep if elected, ensuring there is no “conflict of interest” between the two roles.

Despite Reinoso’s close relationship with Fraga, she emphasizes that, if elected, her vote will be independent. “I’m going to look at things that come up to council. One by one. What’s going to benefit our residents,” she said. “And my goal is really to work with everybody (on the council).”

For her, community safety will be a priority. She believes that eliminating pensions has freed up the budget, allowing the city to hire more police officers.