ADLP gets judge in divorce case recused based on longtime political feud

Featuring former State Rep. J.C. Planas

Just when we thought Alex Diaz de la Portilla’s divorce couldn’t get any messier, the former Miami commissioner has gone ahead and done what every embattled 305 politician eventually does when things aren’t going his way: He’s blaming the judge.

In a freshly filed, very detailed motion, Diaz de la Portilla asked Judge Victoria del Pino to step aside from his divorce case, arguing — under oath, no less — that he has a “reasonable fear” he cannot get a fair trial.

And the reason?

Not just the rulings. Not just the tone. No, no. We’re going full Miami here.

Because according to Diaz de la Portilla, the judge’s ex-husband — former state rep Juan Carlos Planas (married 2000 to 2004) — is his longtime political nemesis. As in decades-long, campaign-trail, family-feud-level bad blood.

You cannot make this up. But also, in Miami, you don’t have to.

The filing reads less like a standard legal document and more like a greatest hits album of grievances, including:

A reminder that Planas once beat his brother, Renier Diaz de la Portilla, in an election (never forget, apparently).
Claims that Planas has spent years smearing the Diaz de la Portilla family.
Allegations that the judge and Planas still maintain a close relationship, including conversations and campaign support.

And then comes the kicker: Diaz de la Portilla says that because of that connection, he believes Judge del Pino is biased against him and “under [Planas’] influence.”

That’s not subtle. That’s a political conspiracy theory wrapped in a recusal motion and notarized.

“This is the height of ridiculousness,” Planas told Political Cortadito. “Part of the reason why she is such an amazing judge is because she doesn’t let her personal bias show.”

“In family law, the rules are very clear. There’s really only so much discretion a judge has,” Planas added.

The consensus among other non-ex husbands is that del Pino is a better than average judge with a reputation for impartiality. Oh, and that ADLP is grasping at straws to prolong this torture for his ex.

But wait, there’s more. If the Planas angle was Act I, Act II is basically: and another thing…Diaz de la Portilla goes line-by-line through recent hearings and rulings, accusing the judge of:

Denying him access to key financial discovery (including records he says are critical to the case)
Rushing hearings because she had “more important” matters
Interrupting his attorney
And — this is where it gets spicy — “coaching” his estranged wife on the stand

*Alex Diaz de la Portilla and wife, Vanessa Garcia Azzam, in happier days.*

The wife, of course, is Vanessa Garcia Azzam, a former District 1 staffer of his, who he has accused of hiding assets — including designer clothing and shoes — failing to disclose property and accounts in Cuba (in Cuba?!?) and smuggling Cuban art (yes, that’s in there, too). Cuban art she apparently forgot to disclose originally but which the court said were probably not marital assets, especially considering the length of the marriage (eight months).

Is that one of the reasons he wants her to pay his attorneys and court fees?

At one point, Diaz de la Portilla even complains that the judge told him to “control” his facial expressions — we can all imagine his exaggerated exasperation response face, which at this point is a tic — prompting a mini civics lecture in the filing about how his family left Cuba so he wouldn’t have to “reserve his thoughts.” Subtle this is not.

From the motion, quoting the transcript: “Mr. Diaz de la Portilla, I have great respect for you, sir, but I cannot continue to let you with the nodding and the faces. It’s completely distracting. You either control yourself, keep down to writing notes, or I will have to remove you from the room.”

The response in the motion to have her recused: “My facial expressions and my body language were more than appropriate. At no time during the hearing did I do anything that could be considered inappropriate. The only person who was out of control was Judge del Pino with her facial expressions, her body language, and her blatantly leading questions.”

Strip away the theatrics, and here’s what this is really about: money, truth and timing. Diaz de la Portilla — who was served with divorce papers four months after his arrest on corruption charges that included bribery and money laundering (which were later dismissed, wink, wink) — keeps losing in court.

Now, he wants to undo a settlement agreement already entered. He alleges, in other words, that he got boxed into a deal without full information on what assists exist and which ones have been disclosed. The judge said no. So, he’s fishing for a friendlier judge. (Could this be why Renier threatened to run for judge and then didn’t follow through?)

And he just might get one. Judge del Pino granted the recusal last weekl. No dramatic denial. No drawn-out fight.

She just stepped aside.

Which means this already messy divorce just got handed to a new judge, who now gets to inherit the financial disputes, the accusations, the settlement fight and this entire steaming pile of allegations. Welcome to the case file, Your Honor.

Everyone knows that filing a motion to recuse a judge is not unusual. But filing one that invokes a decades-old political feud, accuses the judge of bias via her ex-husband, alleges witness coaching and folds in claims about hidden Cuban assets? That’s not routine.

Still, ADLP once told Ladra that Garcia Azzam had stolen his mother’s jewelry. But that’s not in his motion, which tends to make it seem like another completely baseless allegation.

And the fact that it worked? That’s the part that’s going to keep people talking.

Because now the question isn’t just what happens in this divorce. It’s what happened in the trial so far. It’s what happens when a case already dripping with allegations, politics, and personal history starts over with a fresh set of eyes.

Is Miami ready for Act 2 of this telenovela?

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ADLP gets judge in divorce case recused based on longtime political feud added by Ladra on May 5, 2026
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