Source The Herald
Date March 12, 2000
Nasty neighborhood spat in
ritzy Cocoplum: Antonio S.
Blazquez, the Cracker King, is
suing the anesthesiologist next
door, claiming run-off water
from his roof is a big nuisance.
Blazquez, 62, is president of
Hialeah-based Gilda Industries,
maker of Cuban crackers - or
galletas. Once a political
prisoner under Castro, he now
lives in a $1.2 million house at
351 Los Pinos Place. Dr. Enrique
Murciano, 48, and wife Olga
Cristina, 46, who sells real
estate, live in a $1.2 million
home at 361 Los Pinos Place.
They bought it from singer Julio
Iglesias' brother Carlos.
According to the suit, the
Murcianos built an addition
within seven feet of Blazquez's
property. The remodeling changed
the slope of the roof, Blazquez
claims, and water is now
“inundating' his property. In
heavy rains, it could flood his
garage, and breed “mosquitoes
and other vermin,' says the
complaint, filed by attorney
Harry A. Payton.
"Baloney,' says Cristina
Murciano. “There is absolutely
no water going onto his
property. I did everything to
code. We built a trench just to
satisfy him.'
Blazquez is not satisfied. “A
fountain of water every day,' he
says. He also says their palm
tree is dropping fruit in his
yard, and their workmen sprayed
his brick driveway with cement.
“I cleaned it myself,' he says.
He's so stressed out, he claims,
that he is sleepless, causing
him to twice crash his new
Mercedes.
He complained to the city. They
complained to Coral Gables cops.
“Harassment is escalating to the
point where Blazquez may become
violent,' Cristina told Officer
Michael Colucci.
“I thought he was going to be a
nice neighbor,' says Cristina.
`But he has not acted like a
gentleman. He's obsessed with my
house. It's a personal thing.'
The Murcianos' lawyer, Ramon
Rasco, says Blazquez is
unreasonable. “You buy a
property, fix it up beautifully
and then you've got somebody
filing frivolous lawsuits.'
Consuelo Stewart, 59, owner of a
real estate firm and a 24-year
Cocoplum resident, calls the
suit a shocker. “Sometimes
little things can aggravate a
situation, and bad can go to
worse.'
Indeed, Cristina says. “I'm
selling the house. I just put it
on the market.'