García-Legaz will meet with a number of members of the Cuban executive./ Photo: Moncloa.
The Diplomat. Madrid
The Secretary of State for Commerce, Jaime García-Legaz, begins today, Monday, a visit to Cuba, at the head of an ample delegation of impresarios, who belong for the most part to the tourism sector, but also from that of engineering and renewable energy, among others. During his visit, which will last until 16 April, García-Legaz will meet with a number of members of the Cuban executive, and will take place in a business forum.
The Secretary of State’s schedule, as he arrives in the island hours after the historical meeting between the US President, Barack Obama and the Cuban President, Raúl Castro, includes for tomorrow, Tuesday, meetings with the Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, and that of Tourism, Manuel Marrero Cruz, and with the President of the Cuban Chamber of Commerce, Odalys Seijo.
On Wednesday the meetings will be with the Minister of Industry, Salvador Pardo Cruz; with that of Construction, René Mesa Villafaña; and with that of Energy and Mining, Alfredo López Valdés. In addition, he will meet with the Vice-president of the Council of Ministers, Ricardo Cabrisas, and with the President of the Cuban Central Bank, Ernesto Medina Villaveirán.
The Secretary of State for commerce will meet with eight high level Cuban officials
García-Legaz has travelled to Havana accompanied by representatives from 45 businesses, as well as by the Vice-president of the CEOE, Joaquim Gay de Montellá, the Vice-president and the International Director of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, Modesto Piñeiro and Alfredo Bonet; the President of the CESCE, Álvaro Bustamante; and the director general of Comercio Internacional e Inversiones, Antonio Fernández-Martos.
Together, they will participate in a Cuba-Spain Business Forum, organised by the Cuban Chamber of Commerce, and in another business meeting called by the Association of Spanish Impresarios in Cuba.
Sources from the Secretariat of State indicated to The Diplomat that the trip is being carried out at the request of Spanish companies in Cuba, interested in gaining the support of the Administration to better their working condition on the island. The changes that are taking place in Cuba in economic matters after the new investment law came into operation, with the launch of the Mariel Special Development Area, which aims to attract foreign investment, has opened business opportunities for other Spanish companies, outwith the tourism sector, which already has great strength in the Caribbean country.
