{"id":69356,"date":"2016-06-01T17:05:46","date_gmt":"2016-06-01T21:05:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/oncubamagazine.com\/?p=69356"},"modified":"2016-06-01T17:05:46","modified_gmt":"2016-06-01T21:05:46","slug":"us-mayors-in-cuba-38-years-later","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/styles-trends\/technologies-of-communication-and-media\/us-mayors-in-cuba-38-years-later\/","title":{"rendered":"US Mayors in Cuba: 38 years later"},"content":{"rendered":"

“If we went around the USA asking people about why we don\u2019t have relations with Cuba I\u2019m sure that 99 percent of them wouldn\u2019t be able to give a single answer,” said Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, mayor of Baltimore and president of the US Conference of Mayors.<\/p>\n

38 years after its official visit to Cuba, the organisation returned to the island by invitation of the Cuban government for a sojourn between the 25th<\/sup> and 29th<\/sup> of May.<\/p>\n

Led by Rawlings-Blake, the delegation is comprised of three representatives of higher level: the vice-president and mayor of Oklahoma, Mick Cornett; the Second vice-president and mayor of New Orleans, Mitch Landrieu; and the CEO and Executive Director, Tom Cochran.<\/p>\n

In a press conference in the Hotel Nacional they announced that as a result of the trip they would not be signing a specific agreement, but that it would act as a departure point for future exchanges.<\/p>\n

“Our aim has been to start a dialogue that we hope will continue from the USA. We would like to know how we can hold exchanges with our Cuban counterparts and to know how we can work with them (\u2026) We are anxious to share ideas in the evolution of our relation with the Cuban people and the government,” said the president.<\/p>\n

\"Alcaldes-EEUU-13\"<\/a>
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, mayor of Baltimore and president of the US Conference of Mayors in Hotel Nacional. Photo: Roberto Ruiz.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Their agenda included meetings in Havana with government representatives and community leaders. Finding mechanisms to favour exchanges in areas such as education, sanitation, infrastructure and transport can be found among the reasons for these meetings, according to a communique from the Conference.<\/p>\n

Rawlings-Blake had begun her intervention saying what an honour it was to be in Cuba and thanking \u2018the warm welcome that we have received as part of this official mission\u2019.<\/p>\n

She mentioned, among the political, economic, and cultural institutions visited since their arrival to Cuba the Instituto Superior de Arte, the Centro de Ingenier\u00eda Gen\u00e9tica y Biotecnolog\u00eda and the Escuela Latinoamercana de Medicina. She commented that they have talked with Gustavo Mach\u00edn, subdirector general of the US section in MINREX, and with Gustavo Cobreiro, rector of the University of Havana, between other Cuban officials.<\/p>\n

\n

Talking w\/ Cuban officials about how to increase business & culture partnerships w\/ U.S. cities. @usmayors<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/HlEnkNpMQi<\/a><\/p>\n

— Mitch Landrieu (@MitchLandrieu) May 26, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n