BEST OF RICARDO DIAZ GTA VICE CITY STORIES/VICE CITY

"These idiots, they're always trying to screw you. That's the problem with this business...soon every mom and pop will think they can sell gallo in Vice City!"
― Ricardo Diaz

Diaz is the leader of his own drug cartel and, by 1986, is the drug baron of Vice City.

Ricardo Diaz was born in Colombia in 1942 and moved to the United States in 1978, bribing the INS for a green card, before moving to Vice City in the early 1980s.

Events of GTA Vice City Stories
Diaz invests money into a mansion on the expensive Starfish Island and, whilst his home is partially built, meets and befriends Lance and Victor Vance. He has them steal a drugs shipment of Juan Cortez, under the supervision of Gonzalez, which Vic does successfully. Following his success, Diaz decides to employ Vic more work and has him go to a meeting with the DEA, which is ambushed by Gonzalez and his crew, although Vic manages to kill Gonzalez' men and make the deal with the DEA, securing Diaz gets a large supply of heavy duty guns. Diaz becomes aware that Gonzalez has betrayed Colonel Juan Cortez and explains to Gonzalez that he will inform him of all of Cortez' drug deals, with Diaz ordering Victor to drive Gonzalez to the airport.

Lance Vance then borrows money from Diaz and has his brother work to repay the debt, with Diaz having Vic destroy Armando Mendez' bearer bonds using a Domestobot, before having him steal an attack helicopter from the Fort Baxter Air Base in order to attack the Mendez Compound in Downtown, Vice City. Having been successful in stealing the helicopter, Vic attacks the Mendez Compound on Diaz' orders and kills both Diego Mendez and Jerry Martinez. Following this, Vic and Lance decide to leave Vice City.

Events of GTA Vice City
Sometime in between 1984 and 1986, Diaz establishes himself as the drug baron of Vice City and finishes the building of his mansion. His drug habit continues and he has become far more paranoid. Diaz sets up a number of foundations across Vice City and Latin America, although the Vice City Police Department believe them to be a front, whilst they also suspect him of eighteen murders. Diaz has also established a protection racket in the city. Diaz, continuing to use information from Gonzalez, has a drug deal between the Forelli Family and the Vance Crime Family ambushed, stealing both the drugs and money.

He later appears at one of Juan Cortez' parties, which was also attended by Forelli representative Tommy Vercetti. Cortez begins to investigate the deal and discovers Gonzalez' involvement and has him killed. Cortez openly suggests that Diaz may have been involved, but does not accuse him.

Cortez employs Vercetti and Lance Vance to protect him in a deal with the Cubans from Haitians, which results in Diaz hiring the two for other jobs. Diaz first has the two deal with the Sharks, who have been stealing three percent of his profits, first following a gang member to an abandoned home and then attacking the home, killing a number of the gangs members. Later, Diaz has the two steal the fastest boat in the city and then use the boat to purchase drugs from a dealer, before escaping the other potential buyers.

Lance eventually decides to avenge his brother’s death and kill Diaz, but his plan backfires. Despite this, Tommy rescues him at the Junkyard, with Lance severely injured due to being tortured by the cartel. The two of them later assault Diaz' mansion, killing all of his men and Diaz himself.