Former Florida Congressman Lincoln Díaz-Balart, a key figure in South Florida politics and a staunch advocate for democracy in Cuba, has died.
Díaz-Balart represented Florida’s 21st District from 1993 to 2011, which included the city of Hialeah and other areas in Miami-Dade County. He also played a major role in shaping U.S. policy toward Cuba, including the Helm-Burton Act, which strengthened the embargo against the island. His brother, MSNBC anchor José Díaz-Balart, called him “a defender of the silenced and the oppressed” who “lived a life of service” with generosity and compassion.
Beyond Cuba policy, Díaz-Balart worked on immigration reform, particularly for Nicaraguan immigrants, and co-founded the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute in 2003 with his brother Mario and former Florida Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.
Funeral services and a public memorial are still pending.
