The influencer Alexander Otaola appeared this Thursday to explain to his followers how he feels after the electoral result and to clarify that there is still "nothing lost."
In an extensive 50-minute video, he started by emphatically thanking his voters, donors, and those who believed it was possible to reach the mayor's office of Miami-Dade.
"I am strong, with my head held high. An election is about winning or losing. In an election, anything can happen. Now what we are demanding at this moment is transparency. That we can see that we lost without any kind of impediment," he said.
The popular presenter said that it cannot be complicated for a candidate to request a vote recount because that is what elections are for, and that the main thing is to safeguard the voter's credibility in the electoral system, ensuring that people know their vote matters, that their vote decides.
"I am claiming that the exit poll does not reflect the final result even remotely," he said about his doubts; and he also referred to some people who participated and whose votes would not be recorded in the Department of Elections.
He denied, on the other hand, that the Department of Elections has dismissed a recount. He says that the official request has not yet been sent and that there is a ten-day deadline to do so.
He argued that what was done on election day was to send an email to the Department, the response to which was the one that was leaked to the press.
Miami Herald quoted the response from Vanessa Innocent, assistant to the deputy supervisor of elections, to the influencer's campaign through a message stating that "Recounts are not conducted upon request."
"It is true that the law states that to request a recount there must be less than one percentage point in dispute, but the law also has exceptions, and based on those exceptions we are trying to introduce a petition for a recount of votes. Everything is yet to be seen," said the influencer.
Otaola says he will be willing to acknowledge his defeat when all resources have been exhausted. He also emphasized that, even if the result does not make him mayor, there is no defeat because a statistic has been won.
"Elections are won or lost, and in this case, we have not lost anything. In this case, there is a statistic that 33,000 people have opted for change, people who right now are the opposition," he pointed out.
In his extensive presentation, Otaola did not miss the opportunity to reference the artists who have mocked him in recent hours, and he stated that none of them have 33,000 beings who advocate for their platform, their thoughts, or their course of action.
"You are working for me. You are functioning to not let a claim die," he said in reference to what he called "master Valdés" (Alexis Valdés) and those who have laughed at his expense.
"I will congratulate the winner of the mayoralty when we have the results. There is no rush, no problems. Everything is within the realm of possibility and within the legal framework. Before declaring the elections closed, we need to ensure that everything is in order," he reiterated; and emphasized several times that "nothing is lost, there is nothing to regret, nothing to feel defeated about or to lower one's head."
Shortly before concluding his broadcast—saying goodbye because he is going on vacation until September 2—he stated that above all, he has the right to, by applying the law, demand that the law be upheld.
"We are starting to become a political force. This is not losing. This is starting a new path, let it be clear to those who love me and to those who do not. This starts now. We are going to make our voices heard and the discontent that the people showed with their vote," he concluded.
Alexander Otaola, known for his anti-communist stance and support for former President Donald Trump, ended up in a distant third place in Tuesday's elections, receiving only 12% of the votes, far behind the current mayor Daniella Levine Cava, who secured a second term with more than 58% of the ballots.
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