In the days following the passing of longtime City of Miami Commissioner Manolo Reyes, political insiders were already coalescing around a presumed successor: Rafael “Ralph” Cabrera, the president-elect of the Latin Builders Association. Cabrera had reportedly bought a home in District 4 last summer, started raising campaign funds in the fall, and had been actively meeting with consultants and fundraisers in anticipation of a potential election in the fall of 2025.
But despite months of preparation — and even the support of the Reyes family — Cabrera never appeared on the ballot.
Instead, just days after Commissioner Reyes passed away on April 10, the political landscape shifted dramatically. By April 14, a complaint had been filed with the Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser’s Office — headed by none other than Tomás Regalado — alleging that Cabrera did not reside at the homesteaded property he claimed in District 4. Within days, the office concluded an investigation and slapped Cabrera with nearly $40,000 in fines, citing homestead exemption fraud. On April 18, a formal letter from the Property Appraiser’s Office informed Cabrera that he was not entitled to the exemption he had long claimed.
The timing raised eyebrows — and questions.
That same week, the City Commission held an emergency meeting to decide whether to appoint a replacement or call a special election. And just like that, Cabrera was out, and the path was cleared for José Regalado, the youngest member of Miami’s powerful Regalado political dynasty, to launch his campaign.
Cabrera never filed to run. He has remained silent since.
Observers and rivals alike have wondered aloud: was this a coincidence — or a coordinated political takedown?
Commission candidate Ralph Rosado, who is now running against Regalado, has publicly questioned the speed of the investigation and suggested that political motivations were at play. “He did this in record time,” Rosado said, referring to Property Appraiser Tomás Regalado, who is also José’s father. While Rosado has denied filing the initial complaint, he raised the broader issue of fairness: “Why was this complaint investigated and resolved in a matter of days when hundreds of others wait for months?”
Tomás Regalado has denied involvement, telling the Miami Herald that he was unaware of the complaint until after the investigation concluded and that his office receives hundreds of such tips each month. Still, the rapid turnaround and the political implications are difficult to ignore.
The unanswered question lingers: was Cabrera simply the victim of unfortunate timing — or did Miami’s most enduring political family make sure there was no room for anyone else?
In a city where power rarely changes hands without drama, the sudden collapse of Cabrera’s candidacy has all the makings of a backroom political play. Whether orchestrated or opportunistic, the result is clear: the heir apparent was pushed aside, and the next Regalado was ready to take the stage.
