Miami is a city in southern [[Florida]] that served as a major hub for both [[cocaine]] trafficking and [[Contras|Contra]] political activity during the 1980s.[^1] [[Danilo Blandon|Danilo Blandón]] moved to Miami from [[Los Angeles]] in 1987, investing his drug profits in a string of businesses and reconnecting with Nicaraguan exile networks.[^2] ### Contra Political Center Miami was the center of the Nicaraguan exile community in the [[United States]]. Contra leaders and supporters gathered at restaurants and businesses like La Parrilla, co-founded by former National Guard major general [[Gustavo Medina]] and FDN supporter [[Donald Barrios]]. Blandón bought into the restaurant, which became a hangout for Contra leaders and was named "the best Nicaraguan restaurant in Dade County" by the Miami Herald in 1987. [[Jose Macario|Jose Macario Estrada]], an exiled Nicaraguan judge and Blandón's immigration lawyer, was also based in Miami.[^2] ### Cocaine Trafficking Hub Miami was one of the primary entry points for Colombian cocaine into the United States. [[Norwin Meneses]] flew planeloads of 200 to 400 kilograms of cocaine from Miami to Los Angeles. Blandón continued pursuing [[Ricky Ross]] from Miami, calling to offer cocaine deals, and traveled to [[New York City|New York]] to meet with Ross and Colombian suppliers. [[Enrique Miranda]], Meneses's former aide who "escaped" from a Nicaraguan prison, was found living in Miami in December 1996 with a visa the U.S. Embassy had issued him the day of his escape.[^3] ### Blandón's Business Empire After moving to Miami, Blandón invested in Alpha II Rent-a-Car, which spread to twenty-four locations in southern Florida, and became an authorized outlet for Chrysler and General Motors vehicles. He also invested in Mex-US Import and Export Inc. and other businesses with Nicaraguan exile partners.[^2] ### Footnotes [^1]: Gary Webb, *Dark Alliance*, Chapter 21: "I could go anywhere in the world and sell dope" [^2]: Gary Webb, *Dark Alliance*, Chapter 21: "I could go anywhere in the world and sell dope" [^3]: Gary Webb, *Dark Alliance*, Chapter 25: "Things are moving all around us"