Meet the nine candidates running for Maywood City Council

Maywood is another Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) city that will have elections on Nov. 3. Nine candidates–including two incumbents–are running to fill three at-large city council seats for a four-year term. Maywood is just about 1.2 square miles with about 25,000 residents.

The candidates are the following: 

Mayra Aguiluz, incumbent

Aguiluz has been a lifelong resident of Maywood and was elected to the Maywood City Council in 2022, where she served as a Vice-Mayor and in 2024 she became mayor. On the city’s website, her biography indicates she has a Master's of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling and her goal is to continue helping “the disenfranchised and underrepresented people” from her community. 

Aguiluz was raised by a single mother from Guatemala who emphasized the importance of higher education. Aguiluz has dedicated her professional career to working with and assisting others. She works coordinating services for homeless individuals. Through her work, she provides homeless people with shelter, food and clothing and connects them to the resources they need to get back on their feet. As a recently licensed therapist, Mayra wishes to continue using her skills to help those in need. 

Eduardo Eddie De La Riva, incumbent 

A lifelong resident of Maywood, De La Riva credits his success to the power of education and commitment to community. 

His biography on the city council’s page indicates that while attending UCLA, he became acutely aware of the injustices and systemic oppression communities like his own faced. This ignited a passion for advocacy and change.

De La Riva was elected in 2013, served as Mayor Pro Tempore, and became mayor in 2015. Under his leadership, Maywood experienced a revitalization, marked by innovative policies and community-focused initiatives. 

His efforts have garnered recognition, with Maywood earning accolades as a model city for its transformative endeavors. With a steadfast dedication to equity and progress, De La Riva said he continues to inspire positive change and serve as a beacon of hope for his community.

Gustavo Villa

A resident of Maywood for over 35 years, Villa said he hopes to get elected and bring more “mature” input to city council meetings. There are no social media ads or campaign websites, but he says as an older person he brings a lot of knowledge to the table. If elected to office, Villa plans to cooperate more with the police department for a safer city and wants to work on having cleaner streets and parks. 

Villa also wants to change the way city clerks and city treasurers get to office. 

“We don’t have a city clerk or city treasurer now and I think it’s bad,” Villa said. 

In 2014, Villa worked as the head of a water company and was fined for being found guilty of a cash-for-check exchange. He denies all these allegations. He said all were false accusations and there wasn’t any charge. 

Gabriela A. Bernal

Bernal’s decision to run for city council is based on one core belief: Maywood deserves leadership that listens and delivers positive change. 

Bernal doesn’t have social media or an active campaign website. However, she said via email that she has lived, owned a home and run a business in the community for years and she’s able to see the day-to-day challenges residents face. 

“I am stepping up because I want to use that first-hand experience to collaborate with residents, enhance our public safety, support our neighborhoods and ensure every family experiences a better quality of life,” she said in her email. 

Bernal said she’s frustrated about local leadership that has been in office for years with no visible change. She said Maywood residents are paying taxes and investing, but streets feel less safe and the progress just isn’t happening. 

Thomas Ramon Martin 

Martin’s social media pages describe him as a long-time Maywood resident who cares about the community. He believes in job creation for the youth and new educational programs as well as more security in the city. He said he often hears neighbors complain about issues involved with homelessness and crime.  

He advocates for a cleaner city, more trees, a cleaner environment and community resources.

“The city council hasn’t done anything to fight Lineage,” he said on a TikTok video. “They have abandoned us.” 

Maritza Cruz

Cruz has lived in Maywood for the past 25 years and said she deeply cares for her community. As a planning commissioner, she participates in community programs, city events and volunteer opportunities under the belief that strong communities are built through service, collaboration, and civic engagement.

“Maywood has been more than my hometown; it’s the community where I have built my

life, raised my family and developed a deep commitment to serving my neighbors,” she said. 

If elected she assures she will be transparent and work with peers in order to find solutions that improve our quality of life.

Veronica Peral Bernabe

While Bernabe’s name appears as a candidate for Maywood city council, there is no contact information available.

Edith Rodriguez 

There was no response to various emails from CALÓ News.

Aleyda Lemus 

There was no response to various emails and messages from CALÓ News.