Alex Penelas


Alexander Penelas is a former mayor of Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Education and personal life

Penelas, an American of Cuban descent, attended college at St. Thomas University. In 1985, he received his law degree from the University of Miami School of Law, where he graduated cum laude and was inducted into the university's Iron Arrow Honor Society.
Penelas and his wife, Lilliam, have two adult sons, William and Christopher, and a younger daughter, Alexandra.

Political life

Offices held

Alex Penelas served on the city council of Hialeah, Florida from 1987 to 1990. In 1990, he was elected to serve as a county commissioner in Dade County. On October 1, 1996, Penelas became the Mayor of Dade County.

2004 Senate campaign

Penelas, being term-limited as mayor, ran for Florida's open Senate being vacated by incumbent Bob Graham. Penelas finished third behind Peter Deutsch, and the winner of the primary Betty Castor lost to Mel Martinez.

2019 mayoral bid

In April 2019, after years of political turmoil at the local level, Penelas committed to and announced he was running for Re-election to the office of Miami-Dade County Mayor, a position he previously occupied for 8 years.