‘Bitch.’ ‘Gargoyle.’ Gables Mayor Likes Comments Attacking Commission Nemeses

At the end of a commission meeting last month, Mayor Vince Lago called out Commissioner Melissa Castro for reposting a video of Republican Florida House candidate Tony Diaz calling all Lagos “pieces of shit.”

“Is this the new normal? Is this the way it is? A commissioner insulting another commissioner using foul language on their social media,” he said. “Attacking me. Attacking my family. Smearing and lying.”

He went on to read the city’s civility code and said he welcomes all disagreement but always keeps it professional, not calling anyone a name or continuing disagreements away from the dais. “I would never do that,” he added.

Yet, a review of Lago’s official mayoral Instagram, personal Instagram, and Substack accounts reveals that he has apparently routinely liked inflammatory comments from others attacking fellow commissioners Castro and Ariel Fernandez, his two nemeses on the commission.

Since last year, Lago’s Substack profile, official mayoral Instagram, and personal Instagram accounts seem to have liked comments that are sexist, use expletives, make fun of the commissioners’ physical appearance, or accuse them of drug use.

The Substack profile is the same account where Lago is listed as the author of the March 25th editorial titled “The Case for November” for Aesop’s Gables Substack, which he promoted on his mayoral Instagram account. He also liked comments thanking him for the opinion piece. The Instagram account @vlago4 has a profile photo of the mayor and has been tagged in posts alongside Lago’s mayoral account.

Lago’s office did not answer New Times‘ questions on Thursday.

“Nah. That’s the sound Melissa makes after snorting a rail off the trunk of her Maserati before cockhopping a stranger at the biltmore parking lot” reads one of the liked Substack comments from February.

He liked another comment from December that refers to Castro as a “bitch” with a below-average IQ in response to a Substack article critical of her. Another post he liked was a slideshow of Castro that makes fun of her weight loss and alludes to the same sexist Biltmore parking lot joke.

“Why is this bitch always out of breath? one of the Substack comments reads. “Hey, maybe that’s it. The lack of oxigen [sic] is the cause of her stupidity. I swear there is nothing more cringy than listening to someone with a below average IQ who truly believes they are smart.”

Additionally, the private Instagram account @vlago4 liked a comment that mocked Castro’s physical appearance and joked that death wasn’t far away for Maria Cruz, an 80-year-old resident and fierce Lago critic. The anonymous user had commented on Castro’s post celebrating Cruz’s birthday in January, calling them both “gargoyles” and saying, “how 💩 sticks together.”

“…One a gargoyle too late to fix,” part of the comment reads. “The other a gargoyle who’s had so much plastic surgery, she can’t go 13 feet from a campfire. One has her hairy lump attached to her arm. The other has her hairy lump attached to her hip, yelling thix theven [sic] like she’s cute or something. No wonder they constantly conspire to milk the good residents of CG. Anyway, happy Bday tapóncito. Luckily for Coral gables it’s your 80th so not many left.”

He has liked comments targeting Fernandez, including one that calls him a “worthless POS,” and another that spells a homophobic slur backward.

“The clown show led by the toggaF @commishariel continues,” the first comment reads. “The guy has never accomplished anything in his life, so this is his way of feeling like a man.”

In a statement to New Times, Castro says she has endured personal attacks, public disrespect, and degrading, sexualized content targeting her as a commissioner and a woman for the past three years.

“It is a deliberate pattern,” she adds. “The willingness to engage with and endorse this kind of behavior is not just inappropriate, it is a serious failure of leadership. It reflects a level of conduct that should concern anyone who expects dignity from the office of mayor. As a father of daughters, the example being set should give anyone pause. Leadership is defined by how you treat others, especially women in public service, and this falls far below that standard.”

Fernandez says in a separate statement that the defamatory and harassing comments, particularly those aimed at women, are not acceptable.

“Our residents expect leadership that elevates the conversation, shows respect, and brings people together. Since I decided to run for office, Vince has continually failed to meet that standard,” he continues. “Political disagreements must end when the meeting adjourns. Over time, Vince has taken his political disagreements and turned them personal. He has targeted me, my wife, and members of our family. That’s not leadership. They are the tactics of a schoolyard bully and are a distraction from the work we were elected to do.”