IMPACT: Why free elections in our hemisphere matter
Updated: Aug 31
By Woodie Lesesne
Living in South Florida means acknowledging that our local prosperity, cultural vibrant diversity, and economic growth are inextricably linked to the democratic stability of our neighbors in the Caribbean and Central America. That's one reason we braved the elements to bring this message to you.
Alina Garcia stood, at the podium to issue a unified condemnation of the cancellation of national elections in Nicaragua and demand the immediate restoration of free and fair voting processes. It was a bold move that brought to light yet another threat to democracy in our hemisphere.
Fresh off concluding Miami-Dade’s Primary Election, Supervisor of Elections Alina Garcia convened an urgent press conference. Flanked by civic figures, business executives, and members of the South Florida Federal Delegation—including Rey Anthony, Chief of Staff for Congressman Carlos Gimenez, Christie Fraga, Mayor of the City of Doral among other leaders.
On this blistering August morning in Doral, my partner Tony and I joined media outlets from across South Florida at the Miami-Dade County Elections Office. We braved the oppressive heat because the message would carry profound weight—not just for South Florida voters, but for every community, enterprise, and family connected to the Western Hemisphere, and make no mistake, there are a lot of families with that connection.
A Hemispheric Anchor:
Why Miami-Dade Cannot Stand Alone
The hemispheric image above highlights the proximity of the region to Miami. The Caribbean and Central America are not distant geopolitical zones; they are our geographic, economic, and cultural extension. What transpires in one country inevitably ripples outward to affect neighboring nations, quickly compounding into a broader regional issue that arrives directly at our front doorstep. Yes, you guessed it, immigration. It's the dog chasing it's tail.
Miami-Dade County is unique in the American landscape. Over 54% of our residents were born outside the United States, creating a community deeply tied to Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. When democratic institutions are dismantled abroad, the fallout is felt directly in our living rooms, places of worship, local small businesses, and corporate boardrooms.
"It is deeply troubling that as we conclude our Primary Election here in Florida, a despotic regime in our own hemisphere is denying its people the fundamental right to choose their leaders at the ballot box," declared Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections Alina Garcia. "This is not simply a political issue, it is an issue of democracy, freedom, stability, and security in our own hemisphere."
Geography & Regional Context
Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, Costa Rica to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west.
Impact on Neighbors & Regional Dynamics
President Daniel Ortega’s formal announcement canceling future elections codifies an autocratic family dictatorship alongside his wife and "co-president," Rosario Murillo, cementing the regime's shift toward absolute, one-party rule. For its Central American neighbors, particularly Costa Rica and Honduras, this transition amplifies several key stability risks that should not be taken lightly:
Escalating Refugee & Migrant Flows: Further economic decline and intensified political persecution will likely force a new wave of exiles into Costa Rica, which already hosts hundreds of thousands of displaced Nicaraguans and faces strain on its public services and labor markets. Other neighboring countries could also be impacted.
Border & Regional Security Strains: Eliminating political avenues for change heightens the risk of internal unrest, civil resistance, and border friction, complicating regional counter-narcotics and security coordination across Central America.
Geopolitical Realignment: The Ortega-Murillo regime’s total abandonment of democratic norms deepens its alignment with non-Western autocratic allies like Russia, China, and Iran, creating a hostile ideological wedge in the middle.
Bridging Immigrant Communities:
A Shared Human Experience
Doral Mayor Christi Fraga—the city’s first female mayor, who earned a decisive leadership mandate with 80% of the vote spoke with direct clear intent; this commiunity is being galvanized under a unified voice. She and her team as well as the vibrant Doral landscape is a city full with momentum. "Doral isn't just growing; it’s booming as a premier economic engine and global logistics hub. A true symbol of modern success, the city proves what happens when dynamic leadership drives hemispheric opportunity."
For Miami-Dade’s vast immigrant communities—whether from Nicaragua, Cuba, Venezuela, Haiti, Jamaica or across Central and South America—elections represent far more than a routine civic duty. They represent the sacred boundary between self-determination and authoritarian control. Many who have made South Florida their home fled the destruction of civil liberties and the economic collapse that follow suppressed elections. My own family migrated to the US in the 1970's due to political unrest in our home country of Jamaica.
When these leaders in Doral speak out against authoritarian maneuvers in Central America, it sends a powerful message to our local multicultural fabric: your heritage matters, your stories are understood, and your right to democratic governance is worth standing up for.
The erosion of free elections anywhere in our region leads to a predictable cycle of human suffering throughout the region with a ripple effect far beyond:
Displacement and Separation: Authoritarian crackdowns force families to flee, fracturing households and placing immense logistical and emotional strain on local support networks, including in South Florida.
Loss of Civil Liberties: Without accountable governance, basic human rights are stripped away, silencing journalists, business owners, and community advocates.
Cultural Fracturing: Suppressing the ballot box eliminates the peaceful mechanism by which diverse societies resolve internal disputes, replacing civic discourse with intimidation.
The Business Imperative:
Regional Stability Fuels Economic Growth
While the human rights argument is paramount, as it should be, the economic reality is equally compelling for South Florida’s business leaders, corporate executives, and local entrepreneurs. Miami serves as the undisputed commercial gateway to the Americas. Our ports, airports, financial institutions, and logistics hubs depend on a stable, predictable, and rule-based trade environment across the Caribbean and Central/Latin America.
When democratic norms collapse in neighboring countries, the economic repercussions directly affect South Florida’s business community. Local business executives cannot afford to view democratic erosion as a distant political debate. Free markets cannot survive without the rule of law, and the rule of law cannot exist without free, fair, and transparent elections.
A line drawn in the sand.
For millions of exiles living across South Florida, the pain of seeing a homeland stripped of its democracy is not an abstract concept—it is a lived trauma. When a regime cancels elections to preserve its grip on power, it does not just steal a piece of paper or a tally mark; it steals the voice of every family, farmer, student, and elder. It renders an entire populace quiet in their own land.
Outside the Miami-Dade County Elections headquarters, that silence was broken. A united front composed of local public officials, corporate leaders, grassroots community advocates, and, most importantly, representatives of the Nicaraguan diaspora. Stand side by side, they transformed a local administrative building into a beacon of regional solidarity.
Together, these voices issued an urgent call to the international diplomatic and financial communities. Democracy cannot simply be an ideal we applaud; it requires strict accountability, transparency, and unyielding human rights enforcement across the Western Hemisphere, and yes that means here in the US as well. When ballot boxes are dismantled abroad, the fallout has a ripple effect touching our local neighborhoods, regional economies, and the shared fabric of our South Florida home.
Protecting liberty requires active participation across every corner of our society:
For Immigrant & Grassroots Leaders: Keep organizing, sharing stories, and ensuring that the cries of displaced communities echo through the halls of global power.
For Business Executives & Chambers: Recognize that investment in democratic stability and ethical trade directly safeguards our local long-term prosperity.
For Citizens Everywhere: Never forget that democracy in the United States and everywhere is fragile. It can slip away the moment we grow complacent, close our eyes, or cease to engage.
Capturing these moments is about illumination. It is about reminding us that our regional destiny is inextricably linked. The ballot box remains the most peaceful, vital tool free citizens possess to shape their future and keep power in check. Your vote is your voice. Use it, defend it, and never take it for granted.
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