Don’t think the bromance between Miami City Commissioners Joe Carollo and Alex Diaz de la Portilla is over just yet or just because The Dean flew to Paris, of all places, with Mayor Francis Suarez, Carollo’s number one nemesis — or number two after Daddy Commissioner Xavier Suarez (more on that later).
It was kind of weird for Suarez to invite ADLP, a known enemy for years and years, on this trip. Just the two of them. In Paris. 
Not Kansas City. Alone. Well, alone with the mayor’s bodyguard.
But Suarez told Ladra that because Diaz de la Portilla took former Commissioner Willy Gort’s place on the tourism council, it was the right thing to do.
And it has nothing to do with trying to tear him away from his boy toy Joe. Riiiiiiiight.
Alex loves to travel, to Europe especially — he likes to say he’s European — and nothing puts him in a better mood. He and Suarez will be having meals together and spending quality time bonding. Joe has gotta be jealous. He said in a radio or TV interview that he’d already been to Paris and if he were to go again he would go with his wife. But you could tell he was hurt.
Read related: Recall effort vs Joe Carollo picks up after commission meltdown
In order to do some relationship repair, Diaz de la Portilla had a parting gift for his BF: A recent commercial against the recall organizers, calling them leftist socialists with photos of Barack Obama and Raul Castro, is paid for by Proven Leadership for 
Miami Dade County, ADLP’s infamous political action committee.
“Who are those who defame and want to recall Joe Carollo? Juan Cuba and Eleazar Melendez, radical socialists associated with elementos a favor del Chavismo,” the commercial states, with very carefully and specifically selected photographs of the two Democrats when they had hipster beards, which look revolutionary to Cuban voters — and not in a good way. Then the ad — which follows the Take Back Our City ads on radio and TV — rips into recall financier Joe Arriola, chairman of the Jackson Memorial Health Trust, for having supported Barack Obama’s opening with Cuba and for having fathered Miami Beach Commissioner Ricky Arriola, who went to Cuba and met with the oppressive regime’s representatives to try to open a consulate here.
The ad also attacks Raul Martinez — who is not behind the recall but has supported it on his afternoon drive time radio show — who is cousins with the murderer who gave the order to fire at the Brothers to the Rescue planes that were shot down over international waters on Feb. 24, 1996. Martinez never met the man nor does he have any fault who his father’s brother was.
Read related: Joe Carollo recall starts radio, TV ad with first of real life voter testimonials
“Now you understand who it is that is defaming and wanting to 
recall Joe Carollo,” the ad says. And it’s classic Alex, pulling on the heartstrings of older Cuban voters with photographs taken completely out of context.
So, yeah, the same Diaz de la Portilla who wants to pretend that his anti recall ordinance has nothing to do with the Joe Carollo recall and protecting his boyfriend, paid for the advertising against it. What’s in it for him? How much does Carollo owe him now?
Or is this like the flowers a guy sends a girl when he feels guilty because he’s been cheating?
Alex was a fixture in Carollo’s office after Joe won his seat in a tight runoff against Alfie Leon by 252 votes. The Dean helped him 
campaign, after all. Then, in turn, Commissioner Carollo helped ADLP campaign in his district when Diaz de la Portilla ran for county commissioner (PaellaGate or arroz con PolloGate or arroz con mango, because that’s what it’s become).
And they’ve been almost lockstep since he was elected, voting differently only once, on the Magic City settlement because Carollo doesn’t want to piss off Norman Braman, the only guy who’s ever successfully recalled anyone, and he already knew it would get passed. They have gotten together to beat up on citizens and employees alike. Actually, Carollo has been able to lean back and relax in his chair, literally, and let someone else by the bad guy for once.
Read related: The Joe Carollo crisis management media tour is a joke, insult to Cubans
But trust Ladra, that bromance is not going to last much longer. First, because Alex always gets bored of his new toys and burns bridges like nobody’s business.
Secondly, and more importantly, Diaz de la Portilla le da 17 vueltas a Carollo politically and could easily get tired of his 
current crew, especially if he can’t get what he wants done. He can get two more amigos (read: votes) anywhere, and hook his cart up to commissioners Ken Russell — who he’s punished enough for supporting an opponent and who is desperate to get in The Dean’s good graces — and Keon Hardemon, who has been helpful since ADLP’s taken his hands off the Overtown CRA (notice how he was absent for the recall ordinance vote?), and only for however long he’s still around this year and then his successor, especially if ADLP helps him or her (read: Audrey Edmonson).
In other words, Diaz de la Portilla can court whoever he wants. That’s why he’s the new Papi in town.
Alex doesn’t need Joe. But Joe — who only has Manolo left, y cuidado — needs Alex for whatever time he has left on the commission.
And Alex and Francis will always have Paris.
True love? Alex Diaz de la Portilla PAC pays for Joe Carollo’s anti recall TV ads added by Ladra on
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