The governor of Mississippi, Phil Bryant, asked the governments of Cuba and the United States to continue on the road of dialogue. Bryant, who on April 19 initiated a visit to the island, called on Trump to resume the talks initiated two years ago by the Obama administration.
“This is the first step: to try to achieve that the talks advance in a very positive way,” said the Republican politician that has been governing the southern state since January 2012. In his opinion, to achieve changes in his country’s Cuba policy “it is important that governors and legislators get involved,” and pointed out that his visit is a new step in that direction.
Dewey Phillip “Phil” Bryant traveled to Cuba accompanied by more than a dozen members of his cabinet and entrepreneurs to explore Mississippi’s commercial opportunities in Cuba. His delegation is made up by representatives of sectors like agriculture, tourism, renewable energy, food production and port activities.
During his first day on the island, the governor and his delegation met with Cuban Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment Rodrigo Malmierca and with authorities from the ministries of Tourism, Agriculture and the Food Industry.
After the meeting, Bryant considered his visit to Cuba was “encouraging” and was in favor of “not allowing that too many of the political conditions in the United States become overwhelming” for bilateral relations.
Meanwhile, Minister Malmierca referred to the blockade as the principal obstacle for commercial exchange between both countries, while recognizing that “a great deal has advanced” after the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Washington and Havana.
On Thursday April 20, the governor of Mississippi and his delegation toured the Mariel Special Development Zone (ZEDM), the Cuban government’s principal project to attract foreign investments, located some 40 kilometers from Havana.
In addition, during his visit the Republican politician met with authorities from the Cuban Ministry of Transportation and with Josefina Vidal, general director for the United States of the island’s Foreign Ministry.
Phil Bryant is the second U.S. governor to visit Cuba during the Donald Trump administration. Democratic Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper did so last February.
Republican Senator for Mississippi William Thad Cochran also traveled to Havana in February as part of a delegation of U.S. Congress people. At the time Cochran presided over the signing of agreements between the Cuban government and the ports of Pascagoula and Gulfport for exchange of information on technology, operations and port infrastructures.
Located to the south of the United States, Mississippi has a relatively diversified economy, with agriculture, cattle ranching, the manufacturing industry and a growing tourism having a great weight. At present it exports to Cuba authorized merchandise, such as frozen chicken and healthcare products, according to the U.S. Economic and Trade Council.
Recently, a report in the Mississippi Business Journal affirmed that this state’s companies have a great interest in doing business with Cuba in areas like agriculture, industrial machinery, construction materials and maritime transportation.
TN: Phil Bryant’s quotes were translated from the Spanish.
