Cuban influencer Alexander Otaola conceded on Wednesday that his campaign to remove Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava did not succeed. In a press release, he acknowledged that they failed to gather the necessary signatures to prompt a special recall election.
"We did not reach the required number of signatures to call for a special election, so the recall effort was unsuccessful," stated the Cuban-American presenter and activist in the release, which was issued a day before the deadline set for May 14, 2026.
The initiative, known as "Recall Cava," required the collection of 65,681 valid signatures—equivalent to 4% of the 1,642,010 registered voters in the county—within a span of 120 days.
By mid-April, organizer Mercy Pérez claimed they had gathered around 50,000 signatures, a figure that local analysts publicly questioned.
The Role of the Republican Party
In his statement, Otaola blamed the Republican Party for the failure: "The Republican Party, except for the Young Republicans organization, did not offer any support. Kevin Cooper never responded. Had they provided their backing, we would have succeeded."
Despite the outcome, Otaola continued to emphasize the issues that inspired the initiative: "We call upon the Miami community to demand accountability regarding public funds and prevent the displacement of communities for the benefit of developers' interests."
Initial Setbacks and Administrative Challenges
The recall process had a rocky start. In December 2025, the initial request was rejected by the Miami-Dade Clerk's Office due to formatting and typographical errors in the petition. After corrections, it was approved by the County Clerk of Court and Comptroller, with authorization from election official Juan Fernández-Barquín.
The "Recall Cava" committee also faced administrative hurdles, including missing the deadline for the first quarter 2026 financial report, which resulted in a "failure to file" notice from the Supervisor of Elections Office.
Previous Political Struggles
Levine Cava consistently dismissed the initiative as a "political circus" and "frivolous and politically motivated."
This setback adds to Otaola's electoral defeat in August 2024, when he garnered only 12% of the votes in the Miami-Dade mayoral race, finishing third, far behind Levine Cava, who won with over 58% of the vote, avoiding a runoff.
After that defeat, Otaola rejected the results and demanded a vote-by-vote recount, a request denied by the county's Department of Elections as it did not meet the half-percentage-point threshold required for such an action.
Otaola concluded his statement by expressing gratitude to his supporters: "We sincerely thank the volunteers, businesses, and everyone who stood by us throughout this process despite the pressures."
Understanding the "Recall Cava" Initiative
What was the goal of the "Recall Cava" initiative?
The "Recall Cava" initiative aimed to gather enough signatures to call for a special election to remove Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava from office.
How many signatures were needed for the recall?
The effort required the collection of 65,681 valid signatures, representing 4% of the county's registered voters, within 120 days.
Why did Otaola blame the Republican Party for the failure?
Otaola criticized the Republican Party, except for the Young Republicans, for not providing support, which he believed could have led to the initiative's success.