The Diplomat
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reinforced its network of Honorary Consulates in Florida (United States), with the creation of two new ones in Aventura and Key West and the upgrading of the vice-consulates in Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa and Pensacola. In addition, the Honorary Consulate in Richmond (Virginia) was created.
The restructuring of the consular network is set out in two ministerial orders published on Saturday in the Official State Gazette (BOE).
One of the orders creates Honorary Consular Posts, with the status of Honorary Consulates in Aventura and San Carlos ( Key West), in the State of Florida. This involves restructuring the consular network under the General Consulate in Miami, which has seen a steady increase in the number of Spaniards registered in its registry.
One of the reasons for this growth is Law 52/2015, of 26 December, which recognises and extends rights and establishes measures in favour of those who suffered persecution or violence during the civil war and the dictatorship, and Law 12/2015, of 24 June, on the granting of Spanish nationality to Sephardim originating in Spain.
The ministerial order also points out that the relaxation of the measures against COVID-19 has reopened the doors to tourism, mainly that which has Miami and Orlando as its preferred destination. “Finally, it adds, the historical weight of Spain in Florida and the growing number of Spaniards living and working in the academic sphere in the main historical cities, such as St. Augustine, together with the creation of the first Spanish Residents Council in Miami, make it essential to have a network of honorary consular offices that guarantee attention and assistance to Spanish residents and transients, especially taking into account the consular functions of protection of vulnerable groups and the fight against gender violence”.
Therefore, under the General Consulate in Miami, an Honorary Consulate is created in the city of Aventura, whose district will cover the northern area of Miami-Dade and the counties of Central East Florida, Indian River, Okeechobee, Saint Lucy, Martin, Palm Beach and Broward. The Honorary Consulate in San Carlos ( Key West), which will cover Monroe County and the Keys, is also created.
As part of the restructuring of the consular network in Florida, the Honorary Consular Offices of Spain in Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa and Pensacola are elevated to the status of Honorary Consulate.ç
Richmond (Virginia)
The other ministerial order creates the Honorary Consular Office, with the category of Honorary Consulate in Richmond, in the state of Virginia, which will report directly to the Spanish Embassy in Washington.
The creation of the office is justified by the fact that Virginia “has developed a dynamic and highly competitive economy, attracting numerous Spanish companies in a wide range of sectors, from aerospace to fashion, defence, food, transport and financial services”.
The order also indicates that the number of Spaniards registered in Richmond has been increasing in recent years, in parallel with the number of Spanish companies that have set up in the city, so the creation of the Consulate will provide assistance to a large part of the Spanish colony residing in Virginia, as its constituency covers the centre and west of the State.
The counties and independent cities located in these areas are too far away to be able to provide efficient attention to consular emergencies from the consular section of the Embassy of Spain in Washington, and, in addition, the holder of the Honorary Consular Office will be able to provide support in the representation before the local authorities of the State of Virginia, given the interest of Spanish companies to settle in that State.
