Gracias por todas las luchas Lincoln.

Nota:
Durante estos largos a~nos de exilio Lincoln ha sido el luchador incansable por todas nuestras
causas, hijo de un gran patriota Rafael y hermano de otro guerrero por Cuba, Mario.
Espero que tenga mucho exito en la vida privada cuando siempre en la publica fue un ejemplo de sobriedad y de honestidad, en la historia de Cuba se le reconocera como un orgullo para nuestra generacion.
PLP
Lincoln Diaz-Balart to retire
Florida Republican Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart will call it quits today, retiring after nine terms representing a heavily Cuban-American district in the Miami area, according to a source briefed on the decision.
Diaz-Balart, whose younger brother, Mario, also holds a congressional seat in Florida, is the 18th Republican to retire this cycle and the second in two days. On Wednesday, Michigan Rep. Vern Ehlers (R) announced he would not be running again. (Democrats suffered a retirement on Wednesday as well with California Rep. Diane Watson stepping aside.)
Diaz-Balart has held the 21st district since 1992 when it was created in redistricting following the 1990 census. Diaz-Balart had few competitive races but in 2008 Democrats targeted him and former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez raised and spent better than $1 million. Diaz-Balart, however, tripled that spending and won easily 58 percent to 42 percent even as Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) was carrying the district by a far more narrow 51 percent to 49 percent margin.
The seat -- thanks to the Republican lean of most Cuban Americans -- favors the GOP. Although McCain won narrowly, George W. Bush carried the district with 57 and 58 percent in 2004 and 2000, respectively.
The current chatter in Florida is that Mario Diaz-Balart is likely to run for his brother's now open seat, which would vacate his 25th district -- a seat where McCain won only 50 percent in 2008 and where Mario Diaz-Balart won only 53 percent against Miami-Dade County Democratic Chairman Joe Garcia.
Garcia is reportedly interested in running again and would give Democrats a genuine pickup opportunity in the 25th if he did decide to make the contest. One complicating factor for Garcia is that he is currently working in an appointed post in the Obama Administration. Another Democrat mentioned is Miami-Dade Commissioner Katy Sorenson who recently announced she would not seek re-election to her current post.
If Mario Diaz-Balart does leave the 25th, Republicans may well look to state Rep. David Rivera whose current state House seat shares significant population with the U.S. House seat.
There are now 31 total retirements in the House -- 18 on the Republican side and 13 for Democrats.

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen lamenta 'la pérdida de una voz poderosa por la libertad de Cuba'
"Hoy es un día triste para el Sur de la Florida. Hemos perdido a un luchador incansable por una Cuba libre y democrática", indicó la congresista Ileana Ros-Lehtinen al oficializarse el retiro su colega Lincoln Díaz-Balart.
Ros-Lehtinen destacó la "labor incansable " de Lincoln Díaz-Balart "en los asuntos que son importantes para el Sur de la Florida" y recordó el papel clave que jugó su colega en lograr la aprobación de leyes a favor de los inmigrantes y en traer la sede del Comando Sur a Miami, además de su rol como líder del Comité de Reglas, "uno de los más poderosos del Congreso".
"Estoy segura de que cualquiera que sea su labor, [Lincoln Díaz-Balart] continuará siendo una voz fuerte y clara por la libertad de Cuba", dijo.