Mitch Perry
Mayor Bob Buckhorn may be neutral about the idea, but the business community is all in when it comes to the possibility of Tampa landing a Cuban consulate.
Last week, the board of directors of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce unanimously endorsed re-establishing a secure Cuban consulate in the Tampa/Hillsborough County area when relations between the United States and Cuba are normalized.
“The Chamber has been a supporter of re-instituting ties with Cuba, most recently through our support of increasing flights to the nation from Tampa,” Bob Rohrlack, president and CEO of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, said in a prepared statement. “Our Board’s action to support a Cuban Consulate located in our community is an outgrowth of many years of hard work and discussions about how best to renew our status as the U.S. gateway to Cuba.”
Tampa area Congresswoman Kathy Castor has been championing the possibility, ever since President Barack Obama made his stunning mid-December announcement that he had made a diplomatic breakthrough with the communist island. Add in that Miami’s Mayor Thomas Regalado has said he wants no part of such a consulate, has fueled Tampa officials’ hopes they could land the facility.
“Tampa has extensive and very positive historic ties with Cuba and is well-positioned to lead business and trade with Cuba at the appropriate time,” said Ronald Christaldi, Tampa Chamber chairman. “The Chamber has consistently been a leader in positioning this region to be prepared for the day when diplomatic relations with Cuba are normalized,”
Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, who won re-election Tuesday by getting more than 96 percent of the vote, has historically sided with Cold Warrior types who don’t want anything to do with Cuba until at least the Castro brothers fade away. Speaking to reporters in January, Buckhorn said, “If that’s the choice … we will be respectful of the law, respectful of the consulate officials,” adding, “I’m going to do what the law requires me to do. I don’t think I’m going to cut a ribbon, but I’m not going to be ugly. There’s not going to be violence.”
