Richardson, shown here at a recent event in Las Cruces. (Photo by Heath Haussamen)
Gov. Bill Richardson is traveling to Havana, Cuba this week as part of a trade mission “designed to capitalize on potential agricultural and cultural partnerships between Cuba and New Mexico,” according to a news release from the governor’s office.
The mission’s primary objective will be to promote the sale of New Mexico agricultural products. The delegation will market state agricultural products and plant the seeds for possible cultural exchanges in the future, the release states.
Under a provision of the U.S. Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control, states are authorized to sell agricultural, medical and IT products in Cuba on a cash basis. Since 2000, 42 other states have participated in similar trade missions to Cuba, with total sales of more than $3 billion.
Accompanying Richardson to Cuba will be state Agriculture Department Secretary I. Miley Gonzalez, Cultural Affairs Secretary Stuart Ashman, Department of Finance and Administration Secretary Katherine Miller and Richardson Deputy Chief of Staff Gilbert Gallegos.
Richardson is paying for all of his own expenses during the trip, the release states. The delegation will return to New Mexico on Friday.
This will be New Mexico’s third mission to Cuba to promote its agricultural goods. The first took place in 2007 and was led by then-U.S. Rep. Tom Udall; the second, in 2008, was led by Ashman.