San Germán to establish ties with Seville, Spain
By The Star Staff
Guided by a commitment to tourism and economic development, San Germán Mayor Virgilio Olivera Olivera met over the weekend with the newly elected deputy mayor of the City of Seville, Spain, Minerva Salas López, with whom he spoke extensively about the creation of bonds of brotherhood “that seek to strengthen our relationship with Spain, through history, culture and gastronomy.”
The meeting occurred in Spain as part of the “Cultural and Educational Mission” between the Puerto Rico Department of State and Spain, in which Secretary of State Omar Marrero Díaz participated on behalf of Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia, along with Assistant Secretary of State Félix Lizasuain, University of Puerto Rico (UPR) President Dr. Luis A. Ferrao, UPR-Río Piedras Campus Chancellor Dr. Angie Varela, Interamerican University of Puerto Rico (UIPR) Director of Internal Affairs Dr. Ramón Ayala, the consul general of Spain in Puerto Rico, ambassador Josep María Bosch, and various representatives of the Spanish government, among many other people.
Among the places visited by Olivera were the headquarters of the Cervantes Institute in Madrid, and the General Archive of the Indies, directed by Esther Cruces.
“This place (the General Archive of the Indies) is one of the most important in the history of humanity, so I have just left a few words on behalf of all the sangermeños,” the mayor of San Germán said in a written statement. “Here is a book of minutes that contains part of the very important history of San Germán, in fact, it speaks even of the population.”
Olivera added that “we leave our commemorative medal of the ‘450 Years of Foundation in Las Lomas de Santa Marta.’”
“The reason for our visit to Spain is the creation of alliances of brotherhood between the City of Seville and the City of San Germán, as part of our celebration of the ‘450 Years of Foundation in Las Lomas de Santa Marta,” the mayor emphasized. “What we are looking for is an exchange of opportunities, under the banner of tourism, arts, culture, education and economic development.”
Olivera expressed great satisfaction with the meeting he had with Salas López, with whom he hopes to sign the “Brotherhood Agreement” soon.
“For us, it is very important to continue promoting the history that unites us as Puerto Ricans and Sangermeños,” he said. “It is extremely important to promote economic development through cultural tourism, religious tourism and gastronomic tourism. We (Spain and San Germán) are united by history.”