Alex Díaz de la Portilla explained

Alex Díaz de la Portilla
Image Name:Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla.png
Office:Member of the
Miami City Commission
from the 1st district
Term Start:January 7, 2020
Term End:September 15, 2023
Preceded:Willy Gort
Succeeded:Miguel Angel Gabela
Office1:Majority Leader of the Florida Senate
Term Start1:November 2008
Term End1:November 2010
Preceded1:Daniel Webster
Succeeded1:Andy Gardiner
Office2:Member of the Florida Senate
Term Start2:January 25, 2000
Term End2:November 2, 2010
Preceded2:Alberto Gutman
Succeeded2:Miguel Díaz de la Portilla
Constituency2:34th district (2000–2002)
36th district (2002–2010)
State House3:Florida
State3:Florida
District3:115th
Term Start3:November 8, 1994
Term End3:January 25, 2000
Preceded3:Carlos A. Manrique
Succeeded3:Renier Díaz de la Portilla
Birth Date:25 August 1964
Birth Place:Miami, Florida, U.S.
Profession:Political Consultant
Party:Republican
Relations:Miguel Díaz de la Portilla (brother)
Renier Díaz de la Portilla (brother)
Spouse:Claudia Davant (divorced) [1]

Alejandro Díaz de la Portilla (born August 25, 1964) is a political consultant and former politician from Florida. A Republican, Díaz de la Portilla was a City of Miami Commissioner for District 1[2] and a member of the Florida Senate from 2000 to 2010, representing parts of Miami-Dade County. He also served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1994 until his election to the Senate.[3]

Early life and career

Díaz de la Portilla was born and raised in the Little Havana community of Miami.[4] His career in politics began in 1994, when he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives, District 115. Díaz de la Portilla served in the Florida House until 2000, when he was elected to the Florida Senate in a special election.[5] He was reelected to the Senate three times. He served as president pro tempore from 2002 to 2004.

Later political career

Díaz de la Portilla ran for the Florida House of Representatives in 2012, for the Florida Senate in 2017, and for the Miami-Dade County Commission in 2018. In 2019, Díaz de la Portilla won a run-off election for the Miami Commission to represent Miami’s District.

In September 2023, Díaz de la Portilla was arrested on charges of money laundering, bribery, criminal conspiracy, and illegal compensation for official acts.[6] The arrest affidavit[7] cited a combined 14 charges against Díaz de la Portilla and William “Bill” Riley Jr., an attorney and lobbyist. Díaz de la Portilla pleaded not guilty.

He left office on September 15, 2023, after Governor Ron DeSantis suspended him from serving.[8] The commission voted to leave the seat vacant until the November election.[9] On November 21, 2023, Díaz de la Portilla was defeated by Miguel Angel Gabela in the election for Miami Commissioner District 1.[10]

Family

Díaz is one of the four children of Cuban exiles Miguel Ángel Díaz Pardo and Fabiola Pura de la Portilla García. His paternal great-grandfather served in the Cuban Senate; two of his sons served simultaneously in the Cuban House of Representatives. His maternal great-grandfather served as the Cuban Minister of Justice.

His brothers have also held elected office:

Electoral history

Post-Senate electoral career

References

  1. https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2015/11/high-court-sides-with-diaz-de-la-portilla-in-divorce-case-027625
  2. Web site: Flechas . Joey . 27 October 2019 . With experience and baggage, Alex Diaz la Portilla runs for Miami's District 1 seat . Miami Herald.
  3. https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/24364/alex-diaz-de-la-portilla
  4. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article279331429.html
  5. https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=31819
  6. Web site: MSN . 2024-02-27 . www.msn.com.
  7. News: AGUILA . GRETHEL . September 15, 2023 . Miami Commissioner Díaz de la Portilla arrest affidavit document . 29 December 2023 . Miami Herald.
  8. Web site: Vazquez . Chris Gothner, Louis Aguirre, Christina . 2023-09-15 . DeSantis suspends Alex Diaz de la Portilla from Miami commission following charges . 2023-10-10 . WPLG . en.
  9. News: September 24, 2023 . Commissioners vote to leave Alex Diaz de la Portilla's seat vacant until November election . 31 December 2023 . ABC News: Local 10.
  10. Web site: Municipal Run-Off Elections . 31 December 2023 . Miami-Dade County . Miami Dade County.

External links

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