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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Item Cover PageAGENDA ITEM COVER PAGE File ID: #6803 Resolution Sponsored by: Mayor Francis Suarez, Commissioner Joe Carollo, Commissioner Manolo Reyes A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION CO -DESIGNATING SOUTHWEST 4TH STREET FROM SOUTHWEST 67TH AVENUE TO SOUTHWEST 72ND AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA AS "CALLE CARLOS LOPEZ VALDES" PURSUANT TO SECTION 54-137 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"); FURTHER DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE HEREIN DESIGNATED OFFICIALS. City of Miami Legislation Resolution Enactment Number: R-19-0468 City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com File Number: 6803 Final Action Date:11/21/2019 A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION CO -DESIGNATING SOUTHWEST 4TH STREET FROM SOUTHWEST 67TH AVENUE TO SOUTHWEST 72ND AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA AS "CALLE CARLOS LOPEZ VALDES" PURSUANT TO SECTION 54-137 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"); FURTHER DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE HEREIN DESIGNATED OFFICIALS. WHEREAS, Lorenzo Carlos Lopez Valdes ("Carlos Lopez"), nicknamed "El Gallo," was born on January 21, 1932 in Santiago de las Vegas, La Habana, Cuba and passed away on July 24, 2019 in the City of Miami ("City"); and WHEREAS, Carlos Lopez was a renowned expert aviation mechanic by trade and a Cuban political Anti -Castro activist; and WHEREAS, Carlos Lopez first rose to prominence in Cuba as a very young, first-class mechanic of heavy vehicles such as buses and trucks, whose skills included constructing replacement parts when they were needed to repair the vehicle; and WHEREAS, soon thereafter, he developed skills and expertise as an aviation mechanic working with the Cuban Aviation Company ("Compania Cubana de Aviacion") and became the Treasurer of the Cuban National Syndicate of Aviation Mechanics ("Sindicato de Mecanicos de Aviacion de Cuba") at the age of twenty (20); and WHEREAS, in September 1954, Carlos Lopez was a member of the crew of the Douglas "DC 3" Airplane that was utilized to transmit the first baseball game of the world series from New York to Havana via satellite; and WHEREAS, several months following the Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro, Carlos Lopez refused to wear the Official Cuban Militia Uniform he was expected to officially wear and soon thereafter was accused of sabotaging a plane and starting a fire; and WHEREAS, though charges were later dropped, Carlos Lopez was banned from the national airport for various months, but managed to gain access to a Compania Cubana de Aviacion Airplane and escaped to freedom to the City; and WHEREAS, after arriving in the City, Carlos Lopez served as a technical aviation expert to Brigade 2506 ("La Brigada 2506"), assisted in maintaining its planes, and additionally served in the United States Army from where he was honorably discharged with the rank of Captain; and WHEREAS, Carlos Lopez also remained politically active serving as President, in exile, of the Authentic Political Party ("Partido Revolucionario Cubano, Autentico") and also served as a distinguished member of Junta Patriotica Cubana, M.R.R., and Unidad Cubana; and WHEREAS, Carlos Lopez maintained his renowned expertise as an aviation mechanic and served for a decade as a Man of Confidence to the King and President of Spain ("Hombre de Confianza del Rey De Espana") in which capacity he was authorized to supervise and maintain their airplanes and helicopters; and WHEREAS, Carlos Lopez resided at 7101 Southwest 4th Street, Miami, Florida with his wife, Maria, from 1966 until his passing in 2019; and WHEREAS, to honor the memory of Carlos Lopez, an early pioneer of aviation mechanics in Cuba, a Cuban patriot, and an American patriot who was active in the continuing struggle to free Cuba from the yoke of oppression and who deeply loved Cuba, the United States, and the City, the City wishes to co -designate Southwest 4th Street from Southwest 67th Avenue to Southwest 72nd Avenue, Miami, Florida as "Calle Carlos Lopez Valdes"; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA: Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are adopted by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section. Section 2. Southwest 4th Street from Southwest 67th Avenue to Southwest 72nd Avenue, Miami, Florida is hereby co -designated as "Calle Carlos Lopez Valdes" pursuant to Section 54-137 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended ("City Code"). Section 3. The City Clerk is directed to transmit a copy of this Resolution to Rebecca Sosa, Vice Chairwoman of the Miami -Dade County Board of County Commissioners; the Departments of Police, Fire -Rescue, and Solid Waste; the United States Postal Service; and, if a State of Florida road, to the Florida Department of Transportation, District Six, for sign installation within the newly designated roadways. Section 4. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption and signature by the Mayor. APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS: ndez, City tutor ey 11/8/2019 1 If the Mayor does not sign this Resolution, it shall become effective at the end of ten (10) calendar days from the date it was passed and adopted. If the Mayor vetoes this Resolution, it shall become effective immediately upon override of the veto by the City Commission.