MIAMI – Hialeah Mayor Carlos Hernandez said on Saturday that Fidel Castro's death was viewed as a hopeful sign in the city.
Hernandez, who has served as mayor since 2011, was born in Camaguey, Cuba. In a statement, he referred to Castro as a "tyrant" and "a dictator" who prompted a Cuban exodus.
Recommended Videos
"This is especially felt in the city of Hialeah, where Cuban families flee to the most for safety," Hernandez, 55, said.
After Fidel Castro took power, Hialeah became one of the largest cities in Florida. It has a population of about 225,000 and continues to have the highest percentage of Cuban families in any city of the U.S.
Hernandez added that in Hialeah, Castro will be remembered for "torture, murder and other atrocities, affecting innocent families."
Most recently, Hernandez made the news for paying a $4,000 Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust fine with coins.