A.. J. Corchado writes: When the news of the biggest political thaw in more than half a century between the U.S. and Cuba finally came, Cynthia Thomas discovered an unusual longing. For more than 14 years, Thomas faced an uphill battle in helping lay the foundation for Texas companies to do business in Cuba. President Barack Obama’s Dec. 17 executive order to normalize relations with Cuba provides Texans with a new opportunity.
While normalization won’t be complete until Congress ends its economic embargo, Thomas and others believe the move is a milestone for the United States, particularly Texas. Over the years, Texas leaders have touted possible deals for beans, cotton, rice, grain, packaged desserts, organic soaps, livestock, even airlines and ports. Success has come slowly, with overall sales of Texas agriculture products topping $89 million in 2009 before falling. Some agricultural products are exempt from the embargo.
The fact that Texas doesn’t carry the political baggage of the swing state of Florida bodes well for the Lone Star State.
Texas and Cuba — the Western Hemisphere’s last communist nation — may seem like an odd match, but they share intriguing bits of history. Both have had revolutions. Both have a passion for gritty cowboys, fine cattle and baseball. And both have unwavering pride in their independent spirit, underscored by their flags, each emblazoned with a single star. On Fidel Castro’s first and only trip to the United States in 1959, he stopped in Houston, met with a Texas cattlemen’s group and donned a cowboy hat for the cameras.
Texas lore fascinates Cubans. Near Cuba’s heartland town of Camaguey, where Texas’ King Ranch once owned thousands of acres and raised the most prized cattle herd around, locals readily embrace norteño music, known in Texas as Tex-Mex. The properties were expropriated by the Cuban Revolution and are now known as Rancho King, said to be one of Fidel Castro’s favorite places for quiet reflection.
Cuba will require patience for investors and tourists. The island is packed with well-educated residents hungry for technology, new fashion styles, restaurants, etc. Yet much of the population of more than 11 million people is mired in poverty. With a per capita gross domestic product of about $3,900, most Cubans cannot afford pricey foreign products. The key, he added, will be the development of the Cuban tourism industry, which boasts of its stunning beaches.
