Overview
Florida International University and Miami-area Republican officials are confronting an investigation after media outlets published leaked logs from a private WhatsApp group chat that contained racist, antisemitic and homophobic comments. The chat reportedly involved local party figures and leaders of the university chapter of a national conservative student organization.
University response and law enforcement involvement
Florida International University President Jeanette Nunez issued a statement saying the university "does not and will not tolerate violence, hate, discrimination, harassment, racism or antisemitism." She said the allegations are being looked into by the university police department with support from local, state and federal law enforcement authorities.
FIU, a state-funded institution noted in the report for its engineering and business programs, is thus formally treating the matter as a law enforcement issue while denouncing the content alleged to have been exchanged in the chat.
Allegations in the chat
According to the published logs, one participant identified as William Bejerano posted a long message proposing dozens of acts of extreme violence directed at Black people, using a racial slur and graphic suggestions including beheading and crucifixion. When contacted by a reporter seeking comment, the account reportedly hung up, and the participant did not immediately reply to messages sent on social media.
Another named participant, Dariel Gonzalez, who at the time served as recruitment chair of the College Republicans, is reported to have used a slur when referring to Jewish people and to have suggested that sexual relations with Jewish people were acceptable so long as they were not married and procreative.
The group was said to have been created for conservative students by Abel Carvajal, who holds the post of secretary for the Miami-Dade County Republican Party. The logs indicate Carvajal participated only intermittently and deleted some messages. He has said he did not see the racist posts when they were made and expressed shock upon reading them. He did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Party reaction
Kevin Cooper, chair of the Republican Party of Miami-Dade County, issued a statement condemning the chat. He said the party’s board had initiated proceedings to remove Carvajal from his post.
Context and precedents noted in the report
The published account also placed this episode alongside a series of recent controversies stemming from leaked private group chats across U.S. political circles, which have revealed racist, antisemitic and violent remarks from figures across the ideological spectrum. In one such episode late last year, a right-leaning think tank saw more than a dozen staff depart in December amid allegations from former supporters that the organization was aligning with those accused of antisemitism.
Researchers referenced in the reporting said participants in private group chats may develop a false sense of privacy and security, even though electronic messages create a permanent record that can be leaked. The messaging platform at the center of this case is WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta Platforms and actively promotes its privacy protections and end-to-end encryption.
What remains ongoing and open
The allegations remain under investigation by FIU’s police department with assistance from other law enforcement agencies. Party-level internal proceedings have begun in response to the revelations. Several individuals named in the logs either hung up when contacted by reporters or did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to the published account.
Implications for stakeholders
For the university, the case raises issues about student conduct and campus climate, and it has prompted formal investigative steps. For the local Republican Party, the episode has triggered internal disciplinary processes and public condemnation from party leadership. Observers cited in the reporting also highlighted broader reputational risks for organizations and individuals when private chats are leaked into the public domain.