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Letter to Cuba from Tampa Council sparks quarrel

Posted Sep 22, 2011 by Christian M. Wade

Updated Sep 22, 2011 at 02:48 PM

It seemed like a simple idea.

Councilwoman Mary Mulhern, who traveled to Cuba two weeks ago following the resumption of direct flights between Tampa and the communist-led Caribbean country, wanted to send a letter from council to the Cuban government to mark the historic event.

But that request devolved into a heated quarrel between Mulhern, a longtime advocate of lifting the trade embargo, and Councilman Mike Suarez, who argued that council was improperly stepping into the federal government’s diplomatic role.

Mulhern said she wanted to send the letter as gesture of good will and hoped it would help improve relations between Cuba and Tampa, which share historic ties.

“The embargo is going to be lifted, and if Tampa doesn’t improve its relationship with Cuba we are going to be left in the cold,” she said at a council meeting Thursday.

Suarez said he supports increased ties between Cuba and Tampa, but questioned why council was delving into a controversial issue that the city has no authority over.

In the end, council approved sending the letter, with Suarez casting the dissenting vote.

Here is a draft of the letter:

The Honorable Ricardo Alarcon de Quesada
President of the National Assembly of Cuba
Havana, Cuba

Dear Excellency:

The Tampa City Council has voted to send greetings to you and to the people of Cuba, in recognition of the historic resumption of the first commercial flights between Tampa and Havana in 51 years.

Much has changed recently, with the U.S. allowance of commercial flights from 10 additional U.S. airports and allowance for Cuban Americans to travel to Cuba. The first departure from Tampa International Airport was a celebrated occasion here.

The history of Cuba cannot be written without mention of Tampa. The history of Tampa cannot be written without many chapters on Cuba and the Cuban people. Our city seal, which heads this letter, depicts “The Mascotte”, one of the steamships that brought so many of Tampa’s first Cuban immigrants and the cigar industry to Tampa and literally put us on the map.  Tampa’s official City seal was adopted in 1888 by motion of a predecessor serving on Tampa City Council, the son of Vicente Martinez Ybor, founder of Tampa’s most famous cigar factory and namesake of our historic neighborhood, Ybor City.

We look forward to expanding the number and frequency of flights, and to future opportunities.
 
Respectfully yours,

Mary Mulhern
Chair Pro-Tem
Tampa City Council