Central Florida News
Latino Leadership Chief Marucci Guzmán Enters Race for Florida House District 35
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Latino Leadership executive director Marucci Guzmán filed Wednesday to replace Republican State Representative Fred Hawkins in Florida House District 35, which encompasses parts of Orange and Osceola counties, according to a campaign press release.
State Rep. Hawkins resigned his seat June 30, 2023 after he was named President of South Florida State College.
Guzmán’s family is part of a political powerhouse of elected officials at the state level representing Orange and Seminole counties. She is married to former Republican Florida State Representative Rene “Coach P” Plasencia, who resigned from the Florida House in 2022 for a job with IBM. Guzmán’s sister-in-law Susan Plasencia is the current Republican Florida State Representative for House District 37.
In her run for HD 35, Guzmán will add her name to a list of Puerto Rican candidates in Orange and Osceola counties seeking to rewrite history by electing a wave of Puerto Ricans to represent State Senate seat 25, and State House seats 43, 44, 46 and 47.
Guzmán, a registered Democrat, will join a rematch fight between candidates Rishi Bagga and Tom Keen for the Democratic nomination. Erika Booth, Ken Davenport and Scotty Moore are among the Republicans seeking to keep Hawkins’s seat in the Republican Party.
Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 23-140, setting a Special Election for House District 35 with the Special Primary Election happening November 7, 2023 and the Special General Election happening January 16, 2024.
“I’m excited to announce my campaign for the Florida House. Working families in Orange and Osceola counties deserve an experienced leader who fights for them and not for Tallahassee elites, and I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work earning their trust and support,” Guzmán’s statement said.
“As a working mom and longtime resident of Orlando who has dedicated her career to working with underserved central Florida families, I have seen time and time again our community’s disenfranchisement. We deserve better.”
In her press statement, Guzmán noted that this Special Election is a critical opportunity to flip this seat from Republican control and ensure that the people here at home have a strong Democrat fighting for them every day. “That’s exactly what I plan to do and I am excited to bring all of us together and run a strong race that puts the people back in charge.”
A mother of two daughters, Guzmán currently serves as the Executive Director of Latino Leadership, Central Florida’s most prominent Latino-focused nonprofit community-based organization. Her accomplishments span the globe, having organized disaster relief efforts in Puerto Rico, Haiti, and El Salvador. She also founded Latino Leadership Behavioral Health in response to the mental health trauma caused by Hurricane Maria. Additionally, with a passion for advocating for special needs children, Guzmán led an effort to pass legislation that made it easier for children on the autism spectrum to receive the critical and unique medical care they need.
Guzmán most recently spearheaded the creation of Clínica Mi Salud, a free medical clinic for the uninsured, which serves more than 800 patients through primary care, psychiatry, pediatrics, and women’s health. She also served two terms on the Orange County Library Board of Trustees, where she focused on highlighting the importance of bringing a new branch to Lake Nona. Her career has been recognized by the University of Phoenix’s National Hispanic Leadership Scholarship and Coors Líderes, the statement cited.
Four-day conference at the Orange County Convention Center features leadership training, educational workshops and an exposition showcasing law enforcement products and services.
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Police chiefs and public safety professionals from around the world are gathering in Orlando for the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s 2026 Annual Conference and Exposition, running Oct. 24–27 at the Orange County Convention Center.
According to organizers, the annual event draws more than 16,000 public safety professionals for training, networking and opportunities to explore developments in law enforcement. The four-day conference also features an exposition with more than 600 vendors showcasing products and services for police agencies. Those figures describe the event’s advertised scale rather than a confirmed attendance count. IACP Conference 2026
Photo by Andrew Jeng / Florida National News
Training and leadership development
The conference brings police executives and other law enforcement professionals together to exchange ideas, strengthen professional connections and explore resources for their agencies.
Its programming centers on education, networking and exhibit hall learning, giving participants opportunities to discuss policing practices and examine equipment and services used in public safety. IACP Conference 2026
Photo by Andrew Jeng / Florida National News
Monday’s schedule
Monday, Oct. 26, includes educational workshops and committee, section and division meetings scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to the published conference schedule.
A general assembly is scheduled for 10–11:30 a.m., followed by a Speaker Series session from 2–3 p.m. The exposition hall is scheduled to open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Chiefs Night is scheduled for 7:30–11 p.m. at Universal Islands of Adventure.
Photo by Andrew Jeng / Florida National News
Conference concludes Tuesday
Tuesday, Oct. 27, features additional workshops and organizational meetings, with a closing general assembly scheduled for 10–11:30 a.m.
The exposition hall is scheduled to open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. An annual banquet reception and dinner, requiring a ticket, is scheduled for 6–9:30 p.m. at the convention center.
The published schedule is subject to change.
About the association
Founded in 1893, the IACP has more than 35,000 members in over 180 countries, according to its website. The nonprofit organization, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, supports the policing profession through advocacy, research, outreach and education.
Its membership includes law enforcement professionals of all ranks and civilian leaders working across the criminal justice system. International Association of Chiefs of Police
Shooting struggles and a costly third quarter leave Orlando winless through two games under first-year coach Sean Sweeney
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — A new coaching era has opened with consecutive losses for the Orlando Magic, who fell 115-93 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night at Kia Center.
Orlando dropped to 0-2 under first-year head coach Sean Sweeney as shooting struggles again slowed its offense. The Magic also struggled with turnovers and missed free throws, repeating problems from their season-opening loss to Atlanta. Yahoo Sports
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards handles the ball as Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero contests the play at Kia Center in Orlando on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. Minnesota defeated Orlando 115-93. Photo by Harry Castiblanco / Florida National News.
Third-quarter struggles prove costly
Minnesota led 57-45 at halftime before taking control in the third quarter. The Timberwolves closed the period with a 17-3 run, building an 86-60 advantage heading into the fourth. Orlando could not recover from the 26-point deficit. reuters.com
Carter leads Orlando
Wendell Carter Jr. finished with 20 points and nine rebounds to lead the Magic. Franz Wagner scored 18 points before fouling out, while Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs added 14 apiece.
Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels each scored 15 points for Minnesota, which improved to 2-0. Rudy Gobert contributed 14 points and nine rebounds. Reuters
Perimeter shooting remains a concern
Orlando made just eight of its 39 attempts from 3-point range, shooting 20.5%. Minnesota connected on 37.8% of its attempts from beyond the arc. reuters.com
Two games offer a limited measure of Sweeney’s tenure, but the early results identify an immediate challenge: improving offensive execution and preventing difficult stretches from becoming decisive runs.
Central Florida News
Broadcaster Ray Cruz Santiago Criticizes Samuel Vilchez Santiago With Communist Graphics, Puerto Rican Identity Claims
The commentator’s video pairs the Democrat’s image with Soviet-style imagery and references his grandfather’s communist beliefs; Vilchez Santiago has publicly rejected socialism.
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Hispanic broadcaster Ray Cruz Santiago is targeting Florida House Democratic nominee Samuel Vilchez Santiago in a video that depicts the candidate in a Soviet-style military uniform and pairs his name with a hammer-and-sickle graphic.
The approximately two-minute video invokes Vilchez Santiago’s description of his grandfather as a communist while presenting images of the candidate, former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and Republican opponent Jorge Malavet.
In separate Facebook posts, Cruz Santiago also accuses the Venezuelan-born Democrat of misleading Puerto Rican voters about his heritage. The material reviewed does not substantiate that allegation, and Vilchez Santiago has publicly rejected the socialist label.
Video visually links candidate to communism
The uploaded video shows an apparent composite depicting Vilchez Santiago in a military uniform and peaked cap. Another graphic places the name “Samuel Vilchez” beneath a red flag bearing a hammer and sickle.
An on-screen caption describes him, translated from Spanish, as a “Democratic candidate in District 43 with a communist grandfather.”
The sequence also juxtaposes footage of Chávez with an image of Vilchez Santiago draped in a Venezuelan flag. Later frames display Malavet and Vilchez Santiago alongside Puerto Rican and Venezuelan flag symbols, respectively.
Together, those visual choices suggest an association between the Democratic candidate and communism. They do not independently establish his political beliefs, affiliations or support for Venezuela’s government. The uniform depiction should be understood as an apparent composite, rather than documentary evidence that he wore such a uniform.
Grandfather’s statement includes family opposition to Chavismo
The reference to Vilchez Santiago’s grandfather has a documented source.
“My grandfather was a communist,” Vilchez Santiago said in a 2019 Princeton University profile. In the same discussion, he described his parents as politically active opponents of Venezuela’s Chavista government and discussed his family’s departure because of political persecution. pace.princeton.edu
That account describes an ideological divide within his family. His grandfather’s beliefs do not establish the candidate’s own ideology.
Candidate has rejected socialist label
Cruz Santiago’s supplied posts describe Vilchez Santiago as a socialist or democratic socialist, a characterization the candidate has disputed.
“I am not a socialist. I have never been a socialist,” Vilchez Santiago said in Spanish in an interview published Sept. 29 by La Prensa Florida.
He argued that proposals involving health care, Social Security and lower household expenses should not automatically be labeled socialist. His stated priorities included easing property tax increases for first-time homebuyers, reducing toll expenses and simplifying small-business registration. laprensafl.com
Separate posts question Puerto Rican campaign imagery
Cruz Santiago’s heritage criticism appears in separate Facebook posts alleging that Vilchez Santiago is presenting himself as Puerto Rican to attract voters. www.facebook.com
A screenshot of a campaign advertisement supplied to FNN shows a photograph of Vilchez Santiago holding a Puerto Rican flag alongside two women, with his campaign branding displayed over the image.
The photograph places a recognizable symbol of Puerto Rican identity within the campaign’s presentation of his personal story. Viewers unfamiliar with his Venezuelan background could interpret it as suggesting Puerto Rican heritage. The materials reviewed do not establish whether viewers reached that conclusion or whether the campaign intended it.
The screenshot contains no explicit claim of Puerto Rican ancestry. Vilchez Santiago’s Venezuelan background is publicly documented in the Princeton profile and a Venezuelan-American Caucus biography. pace.princeton.edu
Why the presentation matters to voters
The criticism combines two distinct subjects: the candidate’s heritage and his political beliefs.
For voters evaluating the material, the central distinction is between documented statements and associations created through editing. The grandfather’s communist beliefs are supported by the candidate’s published account. The uniform, hammer-and-sickle graphic and Chávez juxtaposition are elements of the video’s presentation, rather than proof of the candidate’s ideology.
Likewise, the Puerto Rican flag photograph documents the campaign’s use of cultural imagery without establishing a false claim of ancestry.
Broadcaster brings criticism into District 43 contest
Cruz Santiago hosts El Escándalo del Día on Miami’s Radio Mambí 710 AM, according to his professional profile. Salsoul’s official website also lists him among its personalities. www.linkedin.com
Readers can review his commentary on Facebook and visit his website.
Vilchez Santiago and Malavet are the Democratic and Republican candidates, respectively, in the Nov. 3 election for Florida House District 43, according to state election records. dos.elections.myflorida.com
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