Mario Diaz-Balart

Mario Diaz-Balart
Born	Mario Rafael Díaz-Balart 25 9, 1961
Birthplace	Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician
Title	Member of the United States House of Representatives
Known for	U.S. Representative for Florida's 26th congressional district; Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee
Education	University of South Florida (attended)

Mario Rafael Díaz-Balart (born September 25, 1961) is an American politician who has served as the U.S. Representative for Florida's 26th congressional district since 2013, having previously represented other Florida congressional districts since first being elected to Congress in 2002. A member of the Republican Party, Díaz-Balart serves as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Appropriations and Chairman of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs. He is recognized as the Dean of the Florida congressional delegation and belongs to a prominent Cuban-American political family. Throughout his career in the Florida Legislature and the U.S. Congress, Díaz-Balart has focused on issues including federal appropriations, U.S. policy toward Cuba, immigration reform, and infrastructure investment in South Florida. His district encompasses portions of Miami-Dade County and Collier County, including the cities of Hialeah, Doral, and parts of the Florida Everglades.

Early Life

Mario Rafael Díaz-Balart was born on September 25, 1961, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He is a member of the politically prominent Díaz-Balart family of Cuba. His father, Rafael Díaz-Balart, was a Cuban politician who served in the Cuban House of Representatives before the Cuban Revolution of 1959. The elder Díaz-Balart was a prominent opponent of Fidel Castro, who had once been married to Rafael's sister, Mirta Díaz-Balart, making Castro a former brother-in-law of the family. Following the revolution, the Díaz-Balart family went into exile in the United States, settling in South Florida.

Mario grew up in a household deeply shaped by the Cuban exile experience and anti-Castro politics, themes that would become central to his political identity. His older brother, Lincoln Díaz-Balart, also entered politics and served as a U.S. Representative from Florida from 1993 to 2011. The family's political lineage and their personal connection to the Castro regime gave both brothers a particular prominence among Cuban-American political figures in South Florida.

Education

Díaz-Balart attended the University of South Florida in Tampa but did not complete a degree. He entered politics at a young age, beginning his career in public service while still in his twenties.

Career

Florida Legislature

Before entering national politics, Díaz-Balart served in the Florida Legislature for over a decade. He was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1988, where he served until 1992. He then won election to the Florida Senate, where he served from 1992 to 2000. During his time in the state legislature, Díaz-Balart was involved in the congressional redistricting process in Florida and developed expertise in budgetary and appropriations matters that would later define his career in Congress. He also worked on issues related to the Everglades and South Florida's environment, transportation, and the concerns of the Cuban-American community.

U.S. House of Representatives

Election to Congress

In 2002, Díaz-Balart was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Florida's 25th congressional district. His entry into Congress came at a time when his brother Lincoln was already serving, making them one of the few sibling pairs to serve simultaneously in the House. Over subsequent redistricting cycles, Díaz-Balart's district number changed; beginning in 2013, he has represented Florida's 26th congressional district, which covers a large geographic area in southern Florida including parts of Miami-Dade County and Collier County, as well as portions of the Everglades.

Appropriations Committee

Díaz-Balart's most significant role in Congress has been on the House Committee on Appropriations, one of the most influential committees in the House due to its control over federal spending. He currently serves as Vice Chair of the full committee and as Chairman of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs.

In his capacity as chairman of the State and Foreign Operations subcommittee, Díaz-Balart has overseen funding for the U.S. Department of State, foreign assistance programs, and related agencies. In early 2026, President Donald Trump signed the FY26 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs appropriations bill into law, which Díaz-Balart authored as chairman of the subcommittee. This represented a significant legislative achievement, as the State and Foreign Operations bill governs billions of dollars in U.S. diplomatic and foreign aid spending.

Federal Funding for South Florida

A central element of Díaz-Balart's congressional work has been securing federal funding for projects in his district. Through his position on the Appropriations Committee, he has directed resources toward infrastructure, public safety, and community development in South Florida.

In February 2026, Díaz-Balart announced the delivery of $7.2 million in federal funding to Everglades City for the construction of a new community center. The project was described as an effort to strengthen Southwest Florida by providing a public facility for the small community located within the Everglades region.

Also in February 2026, Díaz-Balart secured $2 million in federal funding for the Hialeah Gardens Police Department to purchase 30 new patrol vehicles. The funding was intended to upgrade the department's fleet and support local law enforcement capabilities in the city of Hialeah Gardens.

These appropriations reflect Díaz-Balart's long-standing approach to governance, which emphasizes using his seniority and committee positions to direct federal resources to his constituents' communities. His district includes both urban areas such as Hialeah and Doral and rural areas such as Everglades City, requiring attention to a diverse set of community needs.

Cuba Policy

Throughout his career, Díaz-Balart has been one of the most vocal members of Congress on U.S. policy toward Cuba, consistently advocating for a hard-line stance against the Cuban government. His family's personal history with the Castro regime has informed his positions, which include support for the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba, sanctions on Cuban officials, and support for Cuban dissidents and pro-democracy movements.

In February 2026, Díaz-Balart joined fellow Florida Representatives María Elvira Salazar (FL-27) and Carlos A. Giménez (FL-28), along with Senator Moody, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Brothers to the Rescue shootdown. On February 24, 1996, Cuban military jets shot down two civilian aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue, a Miami-based humanitarian organization that flew missions to spot and assist Cuban refugees in the Straits of Florida. Four crew members—Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales—were killed in the attack, which was widely condemned internationally.

At the 2026 commemoration event held in Hialeah Gardens, Díaz-Balart and his colleagues called for the indictment of former Cuban president Raúl Castro for his alleged role in ordering the shootdown. The event underscored Díaz-Balart's continued focus on holding the Cuban government accountable and seeking justice for victims of the Castro regime.

Díaz-Balart's advocacy on Cuba has extended beyond symbolic commemorations. He has used his position on the Appropriations Committee to influence funding levels for democracy promotion programs in Cuba, broadcasting services such as Radio and TV Martí, and sanctions enforcement. He has consistently opposed diplomatic normalization efforts with the Cuban government unless accompanied by substantial human rights reforms.

International Religious Freedom

Díaz-Balart has also been involved in international religious freedom issues through his role on the Appropriations Committee. In February 2026, he participated in delivering a joint report on Christian persecution in Nigeria to the White House, following President Trump's redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for religious freedom violations. The report was produced by members of the Appropriations Committee and was intended to support the administration's policy response to the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in Nigeria.

This involvement reflects Díaz-Balart's engagement with international affairs beyond Western Hemisphere issues, particularly through the lens of his subcommittee chairmanship over State Department and foreign operations funding.

Immigration

Díaz-Balart has at times distinguished himself from some members of his party on immigration issues. He has participated in bipartisan efforts to craft comprehensive immigration reform legislation, reflecting the concerns of his heavily Hispanic district. He has expressed support for finding a legislative solution for undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children, though his positions have evolved in response to the broader political dynamics within the Republican Party and the changing composition of his district.

Everglades Restoration

Given that his district encompasses significant portions of the Everglades, Díaz-Balart has been an advocate for Everglades restoration efforts and funding. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, a multi-billion-dollar, multi-decade project to restore the natural hydrology of the Everglades ecosystem, has been a recurring focus of his appropriations work. He has supported federal funding for water infrastructure projects in South Florida and efforts to address environmental challenges facing the Everglades, including water quality, flood control, and habitat restoration.

Dean of the Florida Delegation

As the longest-serving member of the Florida congressional delegation, Díaz-Balart holds the informal title of Dean of the Florida delegation. This seniority gives him an additional measure of influence in coordinating among Florida's representatives on issues of statewide concern, including disaster relief funding following hurricanes, federal transportation and infrastructure spending, and military base issues.

Personal Life

Díaz-Balart is a member of one of the most prominent Cuban-American political families in the United States. His brother, Lincoln Díaz-Balart, represented Florida in Congress from 1993 to 2011. Their father, Rafael Díaz-Balart, was a politician in pre-revolutionary Cuba. The family's former connection to the Castro family through marriage—Fidel Castro was once married to their aunt, Mirta Díaz-Balart—has been a notable aspect of their public profile.

Díaz-Balart resides in the Miami-Dade County area within his congressional district. He is married to Tia Díaz-Balart. He has identified as Roman Catholic.

Recognition

Díaz-Balart's long tenure in Congress and his senior position on the Appropriations Committee have made him one of the most influential Cuban-American politicians in the United States. His role as Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee places him among the most senior Republicans in the House in terms of control over federal spending priorities. His chairmanship of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee gives him significant influence over U.S. foreign policy funding, diplomatic operations, and foreign aid programs.

The signing into law of his FY26 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs appropriations bill by President Trump in 2026 represented a notable achievement in his legislative career, demonstrating his ability to shepherd major spending legislation through the appropriations process.

Díaz-Balart has been recognized by various organizations for his work on Cuba policy, Everglades restoration, and other issues over the course of his career. His ability to consistently win reelection in a diverse South Florida district reflects his standing among constituents.

Legacy

Mario Díaz-Balart's career spans more than three decades in elected office, beginning with his election to the Florida House of Representatives in 1988 and continuing through his current service in the U.S. Congress. He represents a continuation of the Díaz-Balart family's involvement in politics across two countries and multiple generations.

His most significant institutional role has been on the House Appropriations Committee, where he has risen from a junior member to Vice Chair of the full committee and chairman of a key subcommittee. This trajectory has given him substantial influence over both domestic spending in his district and international spending through the State Department and foreign operations. His tenure on the committee has been characterized by attention to both the specific needs of his South Florida constituents—including Everglades restoration, hurricane recovery, and local infrastructure—and broader international concerns, particularly U.S. policy toward Cuba and Latin America.

Within the Cuban-American community, Díaz-Balart has been a consistent voice for maintaining pressure on the Cuban government. His commemorations of events such as the Brothers to the Rescue shootdown and his calls for accountability for members of the Castro regime reflect the priorities of a significant portion of his constituency. His work on international religious freedom, as demonstrated by his involvement in reporting on Christian persecution in Nigeria, has expanded his portfolio beyond Western Hemisphere affairs.

As Dean of the Florida delegation, Díaz-Balart plays a coordinating role among Florida's representatives on matters of shared concern. His long service and committee seniority ensure that he remains a central figure in South Florida politics and in congressional debates over federal spending, foreign policy, and Cuba.