Miami mourns Commissioner Manolo Reyes, plans to name him ‘mayor emeritus’

Hundreds gathered Wednesday to mourn the loss of Manolo Reyes, remembering the late Miami city commissioner as a devoted public servant during a memorial service that began at City Hall and ended at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church.

Reyes, who died last week at 80, had been the District 4 commissioner since 2017. Despite being a local elected official, news of his death resonated across Florida, with Gov. Ron DeSantis ordering the flags at local and state buildings in Miami-Dade County lowered in his honor.

Outside City Hall on Wednesday, Mayor Francis Suarez gave a eulogy.

“Manolo could easily own a room with his booming voice, ear-to-ear smile, warm hug. His default position was to be positive and complimentary,” Suarez said. “He was with you when he could be, and he fiercely opposed you when he thought he had to. I never saw him back down from the fight, not even with leukemia.”

“Having said that,” Suarez continued, “no matter his passion for an issue, it rarely — if ever — changed his demeanor towards you.”

After winning reelection in 2023, Reyes had even loftier political ambitions. With his cancer in remission, he announced in May 2024 that he planned to run for mayor of Miami in 2025. But due to subsequent health issues, Reyes didn’t get the opportunity to begin formally campaigning.

So on Wednesday, Suarez said he would ask the City Commission to name Reyes mayor emeritus, an honorary recognition. Suarez also said city would rename West End Park as Manolo Reyes Park. (Reyes, who was a champion of park improvements, spearheaded major renovations to West End Park.)

Reyes’ daughter-in-law, Adriana Pereira-Reyes, also spoke at the City Hall service, thanking the employees of every city department.

“We thank you for helping make Manolo’s dream a reality for the 2,712 days that he was honored to serve as your commissioner in District 4,” Pereira-Reyes said. “Today, I’m sure that Manolo would say to you all to remember that you serve the people. He would insist that you put the residents first over any special interests, to be honest and act with integrity.”

“I challenge you to serve when no one is watching and to serve for the greater good — not for recognition,” Pereira-Reyes added. “For this was the essence of Manolo, a true and humble servant doing what he loved, for whom he most loved.”

Shortly after 11 a.m., a motorcade escorting the hearse carrying Reyes arrived at the City Hall rotunda on Pan American Drive. A small group, including family members, the mayor and city commissioners, followed pallbearers into City Hall. They placed his casket in the commission chambers for several minutes, allowing Reyes a final visit to a space that was the site of many spirited debates during his seven-year tenure on the City Commission.

The group then exited City Hall with Reyes’ casket. Outside the front doors, about 100 people, including many city employees, were gathered.

After Suarez and Pereira-Reyes spoke, the city’s deputy director, Gail Seay, sang Reyes’ favorite song, “My Way” by Frank Sinatra. At one point, Seay tailored the lyrics to Reyes, changing, “Oh, no, not me, I did it my way,” into, “Oh no, not Manolo ... He did it his way.”

A funeral procession then made its way from City Hall to St. Michael for mass. The pews inside the spacious Catholic church were full, with people standing in the back.

Reyes’ son, Manny Reyes, spoke at the mass.

“He was a proud Florida Gator, making sure our family bled orange and blue,” Manny Reyes said of his father. “He was a proud Cuban who fiercely advocated for his homeland. He believed that family was the greatest treasure, often saying he was the richest man in the world because of the family he had.”

This story was originally published April 16, 2025 at 5:37 PM.

Tess Riski

Miami Herald

Tess Riski covers Miami City Hall. She joined the Miami Herald in 2022 and has covered local politics throughout Miami-Dade County. She is a graduate of Columbia Journalism School’s Toni Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism.