Rey Valdes was appointed City of Doral Inspector General
By: Diana Bello Aristizábal
DORAL, FL – On May 14, Rey Valdes was named Inspector General of the City of Doral during a city council meeting. The appointment passed with the support of Mayor Christi Fraga and council members Rafael Pineyro and Nicole Reinoso, while Vice Mayor Maureen Porras and Councilwoman Digna Cabral voted against it.
Before the council vote, the search committee held a public interview with each of the two candidates contesting for the position—Rey Valdes and Jose Hernandez—on April 17 at the Doral Government Center. Following this process, Valdes was selected by a joint decision of the committee’s chair, Pablo Carreno; vice chair, Peter Espinosa; and members Christopher Guerrero, Juan Carlos Esquivel, and Belinda Leon.
Rey Valdes will head Doral’s newly created Office of the Inspector General, established after 77.86% of voters approved a city charter amendment during the November 5, 2024 election. The amendment will replace the Office of Charter Enforcement with an independent body led by an Inspector General, tasked with ensuring the city’s operations are carried out lawfully and fairly.
According to Ordinance No. 2025-08, which outlines the inspector’s rules and responsibilities and was approved by the city council, the organization and administration of the office shall be sufficiently independent to ensure no outside interference or external influence adversely affects its autonomy and objectivity.
Professional ethics, a fundamental pillar of the new role
The new Inspector General is no stranger to Doral, nor are the professional ethics and values he has consistently prioritized. Prior to this role, he was appointed City Manager of Doral in June 2024, replacing interim City Manager Kathie Brooks, and took on the responsibility of overseeing government operations and implementing the policies set by the city council.
However, on September 30 of that same year, he submitted his resignation letter during a council meeting, citing political pressures to terminate employees linked to previous administrations, as well as issues within the council that led to the forced resignation or termination of four city managers in just eight months.
At the time, he stated his refusal to yield to the pressures he faced resulted in a proposal to reduce his salary, despite his strong job performance. “Holding public office is a privilege that should not be abused by those in power to serve their own agenda. Shame on you,” he said then.
His actions were seen by many as an example of courage and integrity in an era when trust in public institutions has been undermined by interests that are detached from the common good. In this context, professional ethics in politics is no longer a mere added value, but an essential component for governance and social cohesion.
Valdes’ experience as city manager highlights the importance of having institutional mechanisms that protect the integrity of public officials and ensure transparency in their actions. Additionally, his decision to prioritize ethics over political pressures underscores the need to strengthen the structures that allow public servants to act with independence and responsibility, which is precisely the goal of the Office of the Inspector General.
It’s worth noting that his commitment to an ethics-based work style wasn’t shown only in that instance. Rey Valdes has dedicated his career to public service in South Florida, starting with over three decades at the Miami-Dade Police Department, where he held key positions in divisions such as narcotics and homicide.
Between 2018 and 2022, he served as the spokesperson for the Doral Police Department. He later moved into the role of special assistant to the city manager and eventually became deputy city manager under former Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez. Throughout his career, he has been consistently recognized for his integrity and sense of responsibility.
His lengthy career will serve as a strong foundation for the important responsibility he is taking on with the residents of Doral as he leads efforts to detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, mismanagement, misconduct, and abuse of power. He will also report to the mayor and city council with recommendations on the effectiveness of city projects and programs, ensuring they are carried out on time, within budget, and in conformity with applicable laws.
His work will not only help prevent wrongdoing but also contribute to restoring public trust in government institutions. When cases of corruption or fraud are identified, he will report them to the appropriate authorities and may work alongside them to see the investigations through.
The appointment of Rey Valdes as Inspector General—backed by his proven commitment to integrity and transparency—serves as a reminder that professional ethics are not a luxury but the foundation of dignified, fair, and humane governance and a key pillar in building a strong and trustworthy democracy.