Former Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla just keeps on winning.
After getting 11 felony charges, including bribery and money laundering, dropped in November, Diaz de la Portilla won another court ruling Thursday when a judge dismissed a civil lawsuit from a lobbyist who says he was shaken down for a vote on a city contract. The judge ruled that the former commissioner has “legislative immunity” for his actions.
“This legal barrier prevents this Court from speculating as to Portilla’s ill motive and intent. Without that ability, the Court is left with a blanket analysis of actions only,” wrote Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mavel Ruiz. “If Portilla’s actions were legislative, the Court is forbidden from delving into his ultimate intent. It goes without saying that this limitation does not extend to his cohorts. Their intent – unprotected by legislative immunity – can be speculated about and considered.
“Voting is the quintessential legislative act of an elected official.”
So, it’s not that he didn’t do it. The judge didn’t say that Diaz de la Portilla didn’t extort the lobbyist or, more precisely, his client. It’s just that it was part of his job to shake these people down.
Ruiz cited caselaw that “holds that legislative immunity is very broad.” Indeed.
“Based on legislative immunity, courts have dismissed claims even where the defendant has admitted taking bribes where legislative activity formed a critical element – the causal element – of the plaintiff’s claim,” Ruiz wrote.
It’s the second time Ruiz dismisses this civil case, brought by former State Rep. Manuel “Manny” Prieguez, a former Diaz de la Portilla inside circle pal who helped fund his election in 2019, for the same reason of “legislative immunity.” The first time she allowed Prieguez to file an amended complaint. Not this time. This time it was dismissed with prejudice, because there were no major differences between the first and second complaint. That means Prieguez can only appeal. He has 30 days to decide.
Read related: Judge dismisses civil shakedown case vs Miami’s Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Background: In and around October of 2020, Diaz de la Portilla and two of his associates met with the longtime operator of the Rickenbacker Marina, Aabad Melwani, to talk about the renewal of his contract and redevelopment of the marina and, allegedly, insisted that one of his lackeys, Anibal Viera-Duarte, become a silent partner in the deal. Prieguez was Melwani’s lobbyist and his lawsuit claims that Diaz de la Portilla would only vote for him to keep the operating and redevelopment contract if Viera-Duarte (read: ADLP) got a piece of the pie.
Former Miami Commissioner Humberto “Bert” Hernandez — who was removed from office twice amid accusations of absentee ballot fraud, mortgage fraud and federal bank fraud, for which he was sentenced to four years in prison — was one of the ADLP associates who were involved in these meetings, some of which took place at his family’s mattress warehouse in Allapattah and others at the East Hotel in Brickell where Diaz de la Portilla stayed for weeks on another lobbyist’s dime, which was part of the criminal case against him that the Broward State Attorney’s office bungled.
Diaz de la Portilla should really play the lottery. Or just buy a scratch off ticket.
Instead, he’s thinking about countersuing Prieguez for damages.
“I won. The lying scumbag lost. More justice is on the way,” he texted Ladra this week. “Once again, the justice system has exonerated me from the baseless lawsuit filed against me for political purposes by lying lowlife lobbyist Manuel Prieguez.
“Lowlife Prieguez has for too long polluted the court record with his fictitious and malicious narrative serving no purpose other than to interfere with my election and defraud the court. Lying Prieguez will soon find out that his lies have consequences as his day of full reckoning fast approaches,” Diaz de la Portilla said.
He has long claimed that this was a political hatchet job. The lawsuit was filed in September of 2023, less than two months before the election he lost to Commissioner Miguel Gabela, who Prieguez also helped financially.
Read related: Miami’s Alex Diaz de la Portilla loses re-election bid to Miguel Gabela on 4th try
Diaz de la Portilla says he is owed $50 million and threatens “a number of lawsuits based on reputational harm election interference, malicious intent, etc,” he texted, threatening Ladra, for the gazillionth time, that she will be sued also. “We have them where we want them and you will not be left behind… have a good 2025.
“And a good lawyer,” Diaz de la Portilla added, with a laughing emoji.
There are a few problems with that. One is reputational harm, which might have been the better reason for the laughing emoji. It sure made Ladra laugh. Because ADLP has a long standing reputation as a Republican bad boy and pay-to-play crook who abuses his power. Remember, this is an elected who gave $175,000 in Miami’s anti-poverty funds to the former chair of his political action committee for some “legal aid operation” for which Political Cortadito has asked but gotten no work product from the city.
Read related: ADLP gave $175K in Miami anti-poverty funds to political pal in Doral
The other is that Prieguez — now a “lying lowlife” but once ADLP’s close friend — was, probably, not lying. Melwani, who was not a party in the lawsuit — and, of course, he is still operating the marina so he can’t be — could have confirmed everything if he had been subpoenaed.
Which is why this should be a criminal case. The only reason it’s not, sources say, is because Melwani won’t cooperate.
Why is it that private citizens like Prieguez and and Little Havana businessman Bill Fuller — the owner of the Ball and Chain Lounge who won a first amendment lawsuit against Commissioner Joe Carollo for his abuse of power targeting the business for political reasons — the ones taking these bad politicos to court?
Where is the cavalry?
Meanwhile, this winning streak of ADLP’s may continue. He has threatened to run for Miami mayor.
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In what turned out to be yet another show of political division in the city of Coral Gables, Deputy City Manager Alberto Parjus was named city manager to replace Amos Rojas, who resigned earlier this month. The appointment will be effective at the next commission meeting Jan. 28, at which the salary and benefits package will be discussed and approved.
The vote was 3-2, of course, with the same dissenting folks as always: Mayor Vince Lago and Vice Mayor Lackey Rhonda Anderson, who now makes all his arguments for him.
“Everybody should have the opportunity to put their name in the hat,” Anderson said, referring to other city employees and managers from other cities that could also want the job. She also reminded everyone that there is an election in three months. “The faces on this commission may be totally different,” she said. (Fingers crossed.)
To which Commissioner Ariel Fernandez asked if they should just take the next three months off and not make any decision.
Read related: Coral Gables City Manager Amos Rojas resigns, leaves next month after one year
Commissioner Melissa Castro, who made the motion, said Parjus “is the leader we need to ensure continued excellence and growth.” She had a powerpoint prepared with slides that show the city has appointed from within more than not.
In fact, activist Maria Cruz pointed out that former manager Peter Iglesias was appointed at a commission meeting on a non-agenda item with three minutes of discussion and no objections.
Iglesias was fired by the new commission majority almost a year after Castro and Fernandez were elected in 2023 (a prior attempt was thwarted) setting in motion a scramble for a new manager that had Miami International Airport Director Albert Cutié named for a day before the commission, at Fernandez’s suggestion, appointed Rojas, a former U.S. Marshal and special agent at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement who was supposed to root out corruption.
He didn’t talk about that during his brief comments about achievements in the year he’s been manager, which included planning the centennial year celebration, beginning the City Hall renovations, the Minorca parking garage office buildups, the purchase and installation of temporary speed tables for traffic calming, expansion of the citywide broadband and public Wi-Fi, improvements in the financial management and property management systems and lobbying efforts that secured $2.7 million in state and federal grant funding.
Rojas also mentioned the negotiations that resulted in new or renewed lease agreements for Birdie Bistro (the old Burger Bob’s), Le Parc Cafe at the Coral Gables Country Club and Fritz and Franz downtown. He also talked about bringing in “top tier talent” such as Assistant City Manager Joe Gomez and Parking and Mobility Director Monica Beltran.
He made no mention of the hostile work environment he’s had to deal with that included allegations of assault against Lago, which were investigated and ultimately found unable to be proven. Nobody could believe that Lago was actually going to hit him.
Read related: Coral Gables Internal Affairs check out mayor’s ‘assault’ incident at City Hall
There was no real talk about a national search, after the last one ended in disaster. The chosen candidate failed a criminal background check and last year — we know thanks to Castro’s research — he was sentenced to federal prison for public corruption. But both Anderson and Lago wanted to advertise the position and get a larger field to choose from. They also scolded Parjus for comments he allegedly made about resigning after Iglesias was fired.
“Clearly your mind was changed, and that’s your right,” Anderson said.
“Going out and testing the waters is not a bad thing. It’s a good thing,” Lago said, adding that Parjus could be let go after the election and get a five month severance. Apparently, he thinks he and his pocket vote candidates are going to win in April.
Said Fernandez: “You’re hoping to see if you can pick up a majority and bring back Peter Iglesias.”
Fernandez also reminded his colleagues that, two years ago, they appointed City Attorney Christina Suarez on the recommendation of the outgoing city attorney. “There was no application process. We trusted the recommendation of the person who was in that top job,” Fernandez said. “There was no objection from anybody.
“This is not a time for dirty political attacks,” Fernandez added. “This is a time for civility, stability and continuity and for our city to move forward.”
He thanked Rojas for his “leadership as City Manager with utmost integrity and for his tireless work to move our City in the right direction,” and said that Parjus had the experience necessary for the job. That includes 35 years at Miami-Dade County, ending as deputy director of the Department of Transportation and Public Works, and a stint as assistant city manager in Miami.
Read related: Ralph Cutié picks Miami-Dade over Coral Gables after PAC text attack
Commissioner Kirk Menendez said what he liked best about Parjus, who was hired by Iglesias, was that his work under both administrations was centered on responding to residents needs. “No matter who it is in the room with you, your focus is public service,” Menendez said.
In a separate 3-2 vote, Menendez was made the negotiator on the Parjus salary and benefits because Castro said she didn’t trust Lago to negotiate in good faith.
Menendez is running against Lago for mayor and this decision will likely become a flash point in the April elections.
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When Coral Gables City Manager Amos Rojas took the job last year amid the controversy after the firing of Peter Iglesias, he said he would only want to do it for a year.
Time’s up.
Rojas sent a note to his staff shortly after 10 a.m. Thursday explaining that he would resign, effective Feb. 28.
“Dear Coral Gables Team Members,
On February 27, 2024, I had the privilege of being appointed as your City Manager. At that time, I made a commitment to remain with the city for one year. As the one-year mark approaches it is with a mix of pride and a heavy heart that I announce my decision to step down effective February 28, 2025. My tenure, though brief, will forever remain one of the highlights of my career. I will be stepping back into retirement and am looking forward to spending more time with my family.
Over the past year, I have been privileged to work alongside a remarkable team of dedicated public servants whose expertise, and passion are the foundation of our city’s success. Of all that we have achieved, I am proudest of the team we have built—a group of individuals whose commitment to excellence embodies the innovative spirit of Coral Gables. I have gained a greater understanding and respect for the work of municipal officials.
This decision was not an easy one but after much thought and reflection, I am confident it is the right step for me and my family. While my time here is ending, my belief in the future of Coral Gables remains steadfast.
I am grateful for the opportunity to have served the City Beautiful and to have played a small part in its continued growth and success. Thanks to all our team members for your support, collaboration, and dedication.
With Gratitude,
Amos”
Sources say that Rojas has suggested Assistant City Manager Albert Parjus step in as his replacement. But Ladra fully expects Mayor Vince Lago to, again, recommend an expensive national search.
It hasn’t been an easy year for Rojas, who has had to battle with the mayor since Day 1. Lago, who was also against the firing of Iglesias, did not agree with his appointment and continued to disparage him as unqualified throughout the entire year.
Read related: Coral Gables skips search, hires new city manager Amos Rojas on the spot
To be sure, the appointment wasn’t ideal. The commission named Rojas, a former U.S. Marshal and special agent at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, on the spot at a regular commission meeting, leading some to speculate that the Sunshine Law was violated. But that isn’t necessarily true. Just a symptom of the commission dynamics.
Commissioner Ariel Fernandez nominated Rojas — who he said approached him about the job — and Commissioners Melissa Castro and Kirk Menendez, who were both sick of the mayor’s theatrical antics, might have just felt it was a good fit. It was also after a previous attempt to name Miami International Airport Director Ralph Cutié was sabotaged by Mayor Lago. The three commissioners who voted for Rojas felt his law enforcement background would help with the corruption and favoritism that they felt was enveloping the city.
Did he do that? Ladra doesn’t think so.
Lago never accepted Rojas, criticized him every chance he got, and there was even a near scuffle in a conference room that was investigated by police. No cause for criminal charges were found, but that’s only because both Rojas and Parjus said that they didn’t really think the mayor was going to hit the manager, after all. I mean, who would?
Read related: Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago attacs colleagues, manager in citywide email
While L’Ego — who looked last year like he was using steroids — did throw off his jacket, throw it on the floor, roll up his sleeves and got into a fighting stance, investigators could not make a case that an actual threat had taken place.
But we never got a clear explanation of what the fight was about. Sources say it was about an Art in Public Places project that the mayor wanted to get approved without going through the right process.
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In what seems like a complete abandonment of his stated principles and mayoral campaign platform, former Miami Lakes Mayor Manny Cid — who was trounced 58% to 23% by Daniella Levine Cava in last August’s election (no need for a runoff) — has taken a newly-created $200,000-a-year job in a make-believe department in the top-heavy administration that he was so critical of last year.
Guess she’s not “Disastrous Daniella” anymore. And the top heavy mayor’s office could use one more heavy?
The Miami Herald’s editorial board reported Sunday that Cid had joined La Acaldesa‘s office as “senior advisor for economic opportunity,” a new made-up position in the made-up Miami-Dade Office of Innovation and Economic Development. Cid, who spoke for the common working man during his campaign, was tapped to help grow small businesses and promote economic growth. The paper also reported that he will be looking for ways to cut red tape and make county business less expensive and more efficient.
He can start by eliminating his new job.
That’s not likely, considering he is soooooo happy to have a government post.
Read related: Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava crushes challengers in re-election
“I’m super thrilled. It’s an amazing opportunity to bring some of the ideas I talked about during the campaign,” Cid told Political Cortadito after a day and a half on the job. He said that “one of the things that haunted me the most” after his Aug. 20 loss was that his ideas would die with his campaign. “Having the opportunity to deliver on that, is something I didn’t think was possible.”
Welllll. Cid said that he got a text on Aug. 21, the day after he lost the election, from La Alcaldesa, saying, something like “let’s see how we can collaborate.” She had been impressed by his performance before the Herald’s editorial board, which is maybe why they wrote the story about this partnership.
He admires Levine Cava. During the campaign, he said, there was a day when they were both double booked at a senior center. He arrived and the mayor was speaking to the voters already. He didn’t know what to do. But then she introduced him, her challenger, and told the crowd to listen to what he had to say also.
“I come from an area of the county where that doesn’t happen,” Cid, who was basically abandoned by the GOP for this race, told Ladra.
Cid, who is part owner of the Mayor’s Cafe in Miami Lakes, did try other employment first. Sources told Ladra that Cid also talked to newly-elected Supervisor of Elections Alina Garcia, and the newly-elected tax collector, Dariel Fernandez, who both said there was no job for him in their new constitutional offices. Cid, who had also applied for city manager jobs in Biscayne Park and Key West, did not deny this and said everyone knew he was looking for work.
“I really wanted to pursue a long-term career in public administration,” he said. “I put it on everybody’s radar.”
He said he already started working at the county this week. “I’ve already seen how dynamic this team is. I’ve been really impressed by this team,” Cid said. A team of 15 people, he added.
He is working on the 305Hub initiative, launched last month in partnership with Wells Fargo to provide “an all-in-one resource platform to help small business owners connect with essential resources, community partners, and growth opportunities.” According to the county website, it “aims to make small business support more accessible and impactful by offering a wide array of tools including resource mapping, training modules, event promotion, and community engagement features.”
Cid said he wants to make it a “true one-stop shop” for businesses, bringing in the permitting process. “We’re taking it to the next level,” he said.
Read related: Manny Cid PAC hits Mayor Daniella Levine Cava on $2.5 billion bond
In her announcement on X, Levine Cava touted his perspective. “As a small business owner himself, Manny will be a champion to empower small businesses and create more opportunities for businesses to grow and thrive in Miami-Dade,” she said.
Don’t get me wrong. Ladra loves that a Democrat mayor with eyes on the governor’s mansion is reaching across the aisle to include Republican ideas in her administration. Isn’t this what everyone should be doing? But it also seems a little hypocritical on Cid’s end. Especially after they messed with his Wikipedia page during the campaign.
Not on Levine-Cava. This is strategy for her. She’s bringing in a Republican to show she’s not a communist. She needs to build or sustain bridges with all the Republican commissioners that got reelected. She needs to look and seem more moderate and less violently progressive.
But he seems like a hypocrite. While it’s a nice galleta sin mano to the local Republicans that never supported Cid, it also seems to some like he was never a serious candidate. Like this was the end game all along.
Alex Otaola, who got almost 12% of the vote in August as another Republican choice, immediately made a statement calling the job a “consolation prize” and saying that the county government is engaged in a chess game that fuels distrust. But his two-page statement also made him the protagonist, saying that this move was a strategy to divide the community and weaken his influence as an emerging politician. God. help us.
Still, what we all want to know is what’s Cid going to do when Levine Cava resurrects her $2.5 billion bond (which rumors say could be growing bigger)? He was flat out against this during the campaign. Will he have to support it as a member of her staff?
“One of the things the mayor wants is a diverse group of opinions,” Cid told Political Cortadito. “I’m going to be able to give a perspective that’s important. I’m not here to be in favor or against something. I’m here to give a perspective. It’s a professional position.”
Which means, yeah, he’ll support it. It’s his job now.
The post Ex Miami-Dade mayoral candidate Manny Cid joins county administration appeared first on Political Cortadito.
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Healthcare business titan Benjamin Leon Jr., who founded Leon Medical Centers and made a fortune off Medicare patients — and who gave more than $3 million in campaign contributions last year — was appointed this week by President Elect Donald Trump as his new ambassador to Spain.
Think of it as a thank you.
More than half of the contributions that Leon made to different candidates and political action committees in 2024 went to help get Trump elected, according to records with the Federal Election Commission. He poured $1.18 million into the Make America Great Again PAC and nosher $928,000 to the president’s Trump 47 Committee. Leon also gave $413,000 to the Republican National Committee and $10,000 each to every state Republican Party — including Guam’s.
He has given to both sides of the aisle, but favors GOP candidates, giving $46,000 to Sen. Rick Scott‘s efforts and more than $13,000 to support Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar. He only have $6,000 to Democrat Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
Trump wasn’t his first choice in 2016, however, when records show he gave $2.5 million to Sen. Marco Rubio‘s presidential bid.
“Benjamin is a highly successful entrepreneur, equestrian, and philanthropist,” Trump wrote this week on his own personal social media platform, Truth Social. Why does he include equestrian? Are horses the main way of transportation in Spain?
“He came to the U.S. from Communist Cuba at 16-years-old, with only Five Dollars in his pocket, and proceeded to build his company, Leon Medical Centers, into an incredible business,” Trump continued. “He has helped support many worthy causes, like La Liga Contra El Cancer, and important medical research at Johns Hopkins and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
“Benjamin has also invested in training our future doctors and nurses by supporting Miami Dade College’s Benjamin Leon Jr. School of Nursing and the Benjamin Leon Center for Geriatric Research and Education at Florida International University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine.”
He also recently gave a $10 million gift to FIU for the new home of the school’s CasaCuba, a gathering spot for scholars, artists and activists to discuss Cuba’s past, present and future.
Read related: Kevin Cabrera tapped as Panama ambassador; so who will replace him?
Leon’s net worth is estimated at $500 million, so it’s easy to give back. Especially for naming rights.
He got the thumbs up from several Miami area Republicans (though not Salazar), including Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, who posted on his social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “Congratulations to my dear friend, Benjamin Leon Jr., a true titan in the healthcare field, who is making a profound difference in the lives of seniors and families in Miami-Dade County.
“As an outstanding member of the exiled Cuban-American community, he consistently gives back, advocating for freedom and standing up for those who are oppressed,” Diaz-Balart wrote. “Benjamin embodies the American dream and is a true patriot who will represent U.S. interests with great honor in Spain.”
Said Miami Dade College President Madeline Pumariega: “Like my parents, he came to this great country from Cuba in search of freedom and opportunity and has dedicated his life to giving back. His leadership and generosity, exemplified through his transformative support of our Benjamin León School of Nursing, have changed countless lives.”
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez told Trump it was a “great pick,” on his social stream. “I couldn’t be happier for my good friend. Seeing Benjamín become U.S. Ambassador to Spain is a testament to his hard work, big heart, and dedication to helping people.”
How is this 80-year-old equestrian — because he bought a bunch of expensive horses and a stable in central Florida — qualified to be an ambassador? Especially in a country with universal healthcare that doesn’t cost its citizens anything at the point of delivery? Is he going to learn anything to bring home? The U.S. Mission in España is considered a critical European outpost, with a bunch of U.S. agencies working on economic, political, and defense and security matters.
Someone said on X that Leon is just going to shake hands, make introductions and throw flamenco parties. So this is what to expect of our ambassadors?
Those parties better not run too late.
Leon becomes the seventh person from Florida that Trump has named to a cabinet position or ambassdorship. Rubio has been nominated for Secretary of State, longtime campaign chief, Susie Wiles, for chief of staff and former State Attorney General Pam Bondi for U.S. Attorney General after Congressman Matt Gaetz, who has faced allegations of sexual misconduct, withdrew his name from consideration.
Trump also nominated Kimberly Guilfoyle, his son’s fiancee, to be the ambassador to Greece and Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kevin Merino Cabrera, who has also helped on his campaigns, to be the ambassador to Panama.
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God help us.
Roberto Rodriguez-Tejera, the veteran journalist who put the morning radio commute on Actualidad Radio 1040 AM in the number one position in ratings — above English-language stations, even — signed off the air on Thursday after mandando a todo el mundo al carajo.
Well, not entirely. Rodriguez-Tejera says he’ll still do a show on weekend afternoons, probably starting in February. It won’t be the same, though. It will be more about culture and music and history, things he loves just as much (maybe more) than politics.
But the departure from the politically-centered Contacto Directo morning show, which he swears is not forced — and sources tell me the station practically begged him to stay — will leave a huge void in local news, especially Spanish radio news and commentary, where there is absolutely no voice like his.
We’re headed into Trumpland all day, every day on every station. That also means there’s going to be lots of cushy coverage and fluff on the five constitutional officers who were elected in Miami-Dade on Trump’s coattails. “This national election has affected our local politics very profoundly,” he said Thursday, with a sigh.
Rodriguez-Tejera admits this is what caused him to step away. It was his own decision, to leave on his own terms. Saliendo por la puerta de alante.
“I don’t think I can continue doing the kind of journalism I’ve been doing for 40 years for the next four years of Trump,” he told Political Cortadito. But I know he can. Unless the station wouldn’t let him, and there’s no reason why they wouldn’t. Did I tell you he had the best rated show within his three hours? He did two with veteran journalist Juan Camilo Gomez, who left in December to become the communications director in Homestead (ouch) and one with Ricardo Brown, another veteran who directed TV news at Univision and CBS before going into radio, and who is staying at the 9 a.m. spot.
Actualidad is going to try to replace Roberto with Yolie Cuello, who already has a show weekdays at 1 p.m. She knows everybody but she pretty much asks softball questions. Congressman Carlos Gimenez was a recent guest there to promote himself. Cuello doesn’t ask the follow-up questions that Rodriguez-Tejera is famous for. Really, nobody does. And while Yolie has her charm, Roberto’s institutional knowledge of Miami’s political history is next level.
Yolie Cuello
Nobody can just tell him stories without him knowing that they’re lying.
Rodriguez-Tejera has worked in Miami for four decades. He was Telemundo’s first news director in 1985. Three years later, he was appointed news director of TV Marti, the federally-funded station that broadcasts news to Cuba. He also worked there from 1996 to 2000 and has worked in television and different radio stations — from La Poderosa, where he butt heads with the owner over George W. Bush, to WQBA, where he was fired in 2012 after an ownership change. Ladra has worked with him over the years, including on his shortlived show on CNN en Español, a three month stint in 2017 with Tejera En Vivo on Mega TV and his longer show on Mira TV called Prohibido Callarse, which we can still watch on YouTube.
It translates loosely to “no silence allowed.”
What happened to that slogan?
It’s especially disconcerting that people like Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo, who at public meetings called the station Radio Havana because the morning guys dared criticize him, and Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago, whose defamation lawsuit against the station and the journalist was dismissed last year for being “legally insufficient,” are going to celebrate this. Certainly Miami Commissioner Miguel Gabela, who Rodriguez-Tejera and Gomez caught in several flip flops and outright lies last year, is gonna breathe easier.
Read related: Under fire, Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago sues Cuban radio station for libel
Robertico, as he is affectionately called, was not afraid to call electeds out. And that will be sorely missed.
Several sources told Ladra that the administration at Actualidad Radio 1040 AM was not happy to see him go and made offers to keep him. Did I mention he had the highest rating show? But Rodriguez-Tejera sounded tired and over it in the last few weeks. He just doesn’t want to deal with it anymore. Especially without Juan Camilo, who has been his partner for several years now. They made a super duo.
Ladra can understand this. It’s been hard since the election to get up in the morning and see what’s happened and happening and try to explain it in real terms to the people who, apparently, aren’t really listening or paying attention. It’s exhausting, actually.
But it’s also important. Even more so now. After this short break Political Cortadito took since Nov. 5, posting sporadically on easy peasy shit (read: self care), it’s time to turn up the notch. Somebody has to.
Actually, let’s not count Rodriguez-Tejera out completely. He did tell Ladra, exclusively, that he could come back later this year in some shape or form. He has the gravitas to do whatever he wants. I hope it’s his own podcast. He could do documentaries.
“The next 60, 90, 120 days are going to be very revealing,” he said. “I don’t discard coming back. I am taking a pause.
“I could come back to the air at some future moment.”
My fingers are crossed.
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