Rafael José Díaz-Balart
Rafael José Díaz-Balart (c. 1899 – 1985), was a Cuban politician and mayor of the town of
Miami, Florida
.
Biography
Born in
Cuban House of Representatives and transferred his law practice first to the city of Holguín, then to Havana. There, he founded the law firm of Diaz-Balart, Diaz-Balart and Amador, with his son, Rafael Lincoln, and partner Rolando Amador.[1] After several years, Díaz-Balart assumed the post of Land Registrar, also by examination.[1] From 1952 to 1954, Díaz-Balart was Transport Minister in the cabinet of Fulgencio Batista.[2]
In 1948, Díaz-Balart's daughter Mirta married
United States citizen. In 1965, Díaz-Balart, along with his son Rafael, entered law school at the University of Madrid in Spain, where he received a second law degree. Díaz-Balart then returned to Miami, Florida, where he remained until his death, in 1985.[1]
On February 10, 2007, Florida International University dedicated the Rafael Diaz-Balart Hall as the building housing the Florida International University College of Law, jointly named for Díaz-Balart and his son Rafael.[1] The United States Congress also passed a resolution in 2007 honoring Díaz-Balart's contributions.[1]