Former Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart honored at memorial mass

A memorial in honor of former Cuban-American congressman and South Florida political giant Lincoln Diaz-Balart took place Saturday morning.

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Diaz-Balart, who served in Congress from 1993 to 2011, died Monday at his Key Biscayne home after a battle with cancer. He was 70.

“He was a person (who) never stopped fighting for those (who) were silenced, oppressed,” his brother, current U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, said.

The former Republican congressman, born in Havana, was known as a staunch advocate for a free Cuba and for immigrants.

“I had the privilege of knowing Lincoln in the field of battle for the values of this great national and for the freedom of Cuba and rights of the Cuban people,” Silvia Iriondo, the president of Mothers and Women for Anti-Repression, said. “He leaves so many memories and examples of how to conduct your life.”

Saturday’s memorial mass was held at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Miami’s Allapattah neighborhood and was open to the public.

Those who couldn’t attend can watch the feed on YouTube.