Rafael Díaz-Balart

Rafael Lincoln Díaz-Balart y Gutiérrez (January 17, 1926 – May 6, 2005) was a Cuban politician. Díaz-Balart served as Majority Leader of the Cuban House of Representatives and Under-Secretary of Interior during the presidency of Fulgencio Batista.

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Díaz-Balart and the second or maternal family name is Gutiérrez.
Rafael Díaz-Balart
Born
Rafael Lincoln Díaz-Balart y Gutiérrez

January 17, 1926
Banes, Cuba
DiedMay 6, 2005(2005-05-06) (aged 79)
Key Biscayne, Florida
Spouse(s)Hilda Caballero Brunet
ChildrenLincoln Díaz-Balart
Mario Díaz-Balart
Jose Diaz-Balart
Rafael Díaz-Balart
Parent(s)Rafael José Díaz-Balart
América Gutiérrez
RelativesMirta Diaz-Balart (sister)
Waldo Díaz-Balart (brother)

Biography

Born in Banes, Díaz-Balart was the son the mayor of Banes, Rafael José Díaz-Balart. In 1955, Díaz-Balart gave a speech before the Cuban House of Representatives in opposition to the amnesty granted to his former brother-in-law, Fidel Castro, for his involvement in the 1953 attack on the Moncada Barracks. Díaz-Balart was elected senator in 1958, but was unable to take office due to Fidel Castro's rise to power on January 1, 1959.[1]

Díaz-Balart founded La Rosa Blanca (The White Rose), the first anti-Castro organization, in January 1959. He is the father of U.S. Congressmen Lincoln Díaz-Balart and Mario Díaz-Balart, TV news journalist José Díaz-Balart, and investment banker Rafael Díaz-Balart. He is the brother of Mirta Díaz-Balart, Fidel Castro's first wife. His brother, Waldo Díaz-Balart is a painter and a former actor who appeared in two movies by Andy Warhol in the 1960s. His father, Rafael Díaz-Balart was elected to the Cuban House of Representatives in 1936 and his brother-in-law, Juan Caballero, was elected to the Cuban House of Representatives in 1954.

Following his departure from Cuba, Rafael Diaz-Balart spent the following years living in Spain. He worked there as an insurance company executive with Aseguros Iberica La Providencia. This company had investments in real estate companies which developed property on the Spanish Riviera. He then also spent several years serving as a diplomat for the government of Costa Rica in Venezuela and Paraguay.

Díaz-Balart died on May 6, 2005 in his Key Biscayne, Florida home after a battle with leukemia.[1]

The building that houses the Florida International University College of Law bears his name, "Rafael Diaz-Balart Hall", a building designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects.[2]

References
  1. "Father of two Florida congressmen dies at 79". The Gainesville Sun. Associated Press. 2005-05-07. p. 2B. Retrieved 2015-07-04.
  2. "Recognizing and honoring the lifetime contributions of Rafael Jose Diaz-Balart on the dedication of the Rafael Diaz-Balart Hall at the Florida International University College of Law". U.S. Government Publishing Office. February 6, 2007.

Bibliography


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