The Tampa-Cuban Connection

Sometimes they make the Tampa Bay Area a protagonist in various events. Whether tourist or business activities, it is important to develop in the tampeño market, the consequences are often echoed at the regional level. 

That kind of vision is needed when it comes to bring the Cuban consulate to Tampa area and there has been one since 1961. The city of Miami, for obvious reasons, was out of the competition. 

Tampa Bay is more than worthy of the position since approximately 90,000 people of Cuban origin residing here and there are direct flights available to Cuba from Tampa International Airport. 

The Cuban consulate accelerate trade and benefits would be created to accentuate the international profile of the Tampa Bay Area: the city deserves it. 

While we could continue discussing the area in which the Rays should be placed, in the case of the Cuban consulate we should agree to accept that it belongs to our city. The links between Cuba and Tampa are without a doubt and family history; the soul of this city's Ybor City whose roots come from Havana, the history of cigar manufacturing and readers. For some there was a ferry between Tampa and Havana. The links are many.

Tampa is the city that José Martí visited at least 20 times. There are more than a dozen monuments in honor of the revolutionary hero, who spoke from the steps of the Martinez-Ybor factory. There is a small path that is the real sovereign state of Cuba. 

But the proactive effort of the Tampa team unfortunately weakens thanks to Bob Buckhorn that does not participate in the action. The mayor of Tampa will not go where his counterpart from St. Petersburg, Rick Kriseman, has recently gone. To be fair to the mayor, we know respects to those who lost everything in the military revolution and those who traveled with him on missions Hermanos al Rescate (Brothers to the Rescue). We also know that cares about the poor democracy that still exists on the island. 

But the fundamental principle is this: the US foreign policy, from an economic and humanitarian perspective, can not be subject to personal agendas. Those for which Cuba Vietnam, Japan or Germany at any rate not allow more scope for the United States in terms of political priorities. The same goes for Buckhorn Mayor and Governor Rick Scott. What is best for Tampa should not depend on personal agendas and political leaders.

Taken and translated from here