City of Miami Commissioner Manolo Reyes has died at the age of 80, his family confirmed Friday morning in a statement posted to his official Instagram page.
“With profound sadness we announce the passing of City Commissioner Manolo Reyes,” the family’s statement read.
A cause of death was not immediately provided, though Miami Mayor Francis Suarez told Local 10 News that Reyes had been battling leukemia.
“(He was) constantly fighting the disease and it seemed like he was going to beat it and, you know, every time he would be in remission, and then all of a sudden something would happen and he would bounce back it seemed with just a little less energy and, unfortunately, eventually it got the better of him,” the mayor said.
Reyes, who represented District 4—covering Flagami and Coral Way—since 2017, announced his leukemia diagnosis in 2023. By 2024, the Miami Herald reported it was in remission. Earlier this week, however, his family shared that his condition had taken a turn. “In the last 24 hours, the Commissioner’s health has declined and he is currently hospitalized,” they said in a Monday update asking for prayers and privacy.
Tributes poured in Friday as news of his death spread. Mayor Suarez remembered him as “a devoted family man, fearless advocate, and true fighter” whose “warmth, laughter, and unwavering dedication to our community will never be forgotten.”
Reyes was born in Victoria de Las Tunas, Cuba, and migrated to the United States with his family in 1959, seeking refuge from Fidel Castro’s regime. He graduated from the University of Florida in Gainesville and later taught economics at Miami Dade College and Westland High School, where he also led the school’s dual enrollment program in economics in partnership with Florida International University.
Before entering public office, Reyes was a small business owner and a respected educator. He was first elected to the City Commission in 2017 with 57% of the vote and reelected in 2019 without opposition.
He lived in District 4 for nearly five decades with his wife, Selva “Chacha” Reyes. He is survived by her, their two adult children, and three grandchildren.
