The local blood shortage due to the COVID19 state of emergency must be really bad. They’ll take anyone’s blood.
Take, for instance, Miami-Dade Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz — also known as DUI Diaz because of his 2015 arrest in Key
West for driving under the influence, even though he was later acquitted. Diaz, whose mugshot is here to the left, will join Hialeah Gardens Mayor Yioset De La Cruz for a blood drive Tuesday. And the two electeds plan to set the example by donating their own blood at 8 a.m.
Maybe that time is a coincidence. Or maybe it’s so Diaz, who was arrested driving his motorcycle 73 MPH in a 30 MPH zone after he failed some roadside sobriety tests — he refused the breath-alcohol test — would only have cafecito in his system.
Diaz, who was later acquitted, admitted to the officer in September 2015 that he had a rum and coke and a glass of champagne earlier that day. He identified himself as a commissioner from Miami-Dade and said that Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay knew him. According to the arresting officers body cam video, he almost dropped the bike and couldn’t even put on the kickstand.
Wearing a shirt from his biker gang the Cartel Baggers — he was there for the Key West Poker Run motorcycle weekend — he tells the officer: Do you what you gotta do. My career is ended. It’s over. Whatever.”
Read related: Jose “Pepe” Diaz will bring up DUI arrest, then say nada
But it wasn’t over. When he sobered up, Diaz and his attorney came up with a perfect defense: An ear infection caused the imbalance. And witnesses testified that he didn’t seem drunk when he took off on his Harley Davidson.
The blood drive is sponsored by Ralph Aleman of Innovative Transfusion Medicine, who got a mention in the county commissioner’s press release. So did the Knights of Malta, who got a special thank you for donating the KN95 masks that will be given to the first 100 blood donors. They’ll get a free bag of food, too! Free food is everywhere (more on that later).
Food and a face mask — one of the good ones — for a little bit of your blood. Not a bad deal, really. Especially since you’ll be helping our community and the health care workers who are working overtime to address the public health crisis.
The blood drive ends at 2 p.m. at Hialeah Gardens City Hall, 10001 NW 87th Ave.

Laz Lopez,
My post came out a bit curt which was not my intention and though I am no fan of Diaz and will like last election vote against every local politico . I respect your opinion and to your credit no one has to hold your hand to get you to vote , I can sense that so kudos to you.
Lopez ,
Diaz is a self serving typical Miami career parasite who gets a ” consultation ” fee from the assorted companies he deals with thus costing us that much more in every project that serpent is involved in.
Port authority contracts and other contracts were always given to the same company to the point others just stopped putting bids on them due to Diaz .
He is very good at giving the illusion that is about the people as that puro cubano cosa nostra lines his pocket .
Hard to believe that this dirty laundry is being dragged out in the open once again. It has a nice ring so all the Diaz haters will have a field day with it. Never mind Diaz is doing a good thing in donating blood (unlike a large majority that does not donate).
For starters, Diaz was set up by a couple of Sweetwater motormen loyal to the city who joined him for a toy drive to Key West paid for his drink and dropped a dime on him to see him get embarrassed.
Diaz was arrested, never asked for any special favors, went to trial and beat the wrap. Just like every other citizen does in this county when placed on the same position. A jury of our peers found him not guilty
As far as the tshirt he was wearing, it is not from a gang, it is from a motorcycle club founded and ran by cops!
There are a couple of nasty sources who toil in Sweetwater that more than likely had a hand in this article. Typically I agree with the articles posted on this site. Cannot day the same for this one. No offense.
This is a Great Case of Massive FLA. CORRUPTION if this Would had happened to Any one Else W/ That much Evidence on Video We Would be Guilty ? Justice is blind or On Payola ? He Doesn’t Know how to try to cover his Negligence ? I Don’t want a Drunk blood on Me !
I appreciate your reporting, but this is a non sequitur.
” Diaz, who was arrested driving his motorcycle 73 MPH in a 30 MPH zone after he failed some roadside sobriety tests — he refused the breath-alcohol test ”
If that had happened in Miami , he would not have been arrested .
He would have been driven home and not because the police subscribe to doing that but because any cop who would have arrested him would either lose their job or at best never see a promotion ever again and any never ending lousy detail will now come their way .
The Mayors and Police Chiefs would have seen to that .