Spain in Texas. an Old Friendship Projected Into the Future
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SPAIN IN TEXAS, AN OLD FRIENDSHIP PROJECTED INTO THE FUTURE 2 SPAIN IN TEXAS, AN OLD FRIENDSHIP PROJECTED INTO THE FUTURE Contents Message from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the European Union and Cooperation, Mr. Josep Borrell Fontelles ..............................................................................................................................7 Message from the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Mr. Alfonso Dastis Quecedo .............................9 Message from the President of the Fundación Consejo España-EE.UU. Mr. José Manuel Entrecanales Domecq .......................................................................................................... 11 From borderland province to engine of a new nation. Three hundred years of Spanish presence in Texas .......15 A century-old identity projected into the 21st century. The Spanish cultural heritage in Texas ........................31 Opening roads to a shared prosperity. The Spanish presence in the Texan economy......................................43 Strengthening friendship and cooperation. The Spain-Texas link within the framework of the political and diplomatic relationship with the United States ................................................................. 55 Appendix. Spanish firms operating in Texas ...................................................................................................69 Appendix. Texan firms operating in Spain .......................................................................................................71 3 4 SPAIN IN TEXAS, AN OLD FRIENDSHIP PROJECTED INTO THE FUTURE Acknowledgements The informative booklet "Spain-Texas: an old friends- rector of North America at the Spanish Ministry of Fo- hip projected into the future" has been published on reign Affairs and Cooperation; Jesús Chico, education the occasion of the celebrations for the tricentenary technical advisor at the Consulate in Houston; Javier of the establishment of the city of San Antonio (1718- Diéguez Suárez; Ana Lombardía González (Universidad 2018) and the official visit to Texas and Louisiana of Complutense de Madrid), and Lorena Rivera León. Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain in June 2018. This publication aims to highlight the sound re- *********** lationships which exist between Spain and the state of Texas, a state in which Spain’s historic presence has The Fundación Consejo España-EE.UU. is a non-profit been particularly significant. Nowadays, both Texas private institution established in 1997. It is devoted to and Spain share deep connections of all kinds within the promotion of relations between both countries in the framework of friendship and cooperation between the economic and business, cultural, academic and Spain and the US. political fields, with a special focus on the Hispanic community in the US. It also works to achieve grea- This publication has been produced by the Fundación ter mutual knowledge between their respective civil Consejo España-EE.UU., with the financial support of societies. the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain). The layout The Board of Trustees of the Fundación is currently of the booklet has been possible thanks to the Gene- made up of a high number of large Spanish compa- ral Direction of Diplomatic Communication and Infor- nies with interests in the US, representatives of Spa- mation and the support of Javier Hernández. nish academic and cultural institutions, as well as of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Coopera- The compilation of information and visual material as tion. Since December 2016, the Fundación is chaired well as the writing of the texts are the work of Miguel by José Manuel Entrecanales. Manuel Mª Lejarreta is Laborda Pemán, to whom the Fundación is grateful the current Secretary General. for his dedicated work. The Fundación is also grateful for their collaboration to: Enric Panés, Consul General of Spain in Houston; Serrano Galvache, 26 - Torre Sur, 8ª Planta Eduardo Garrigues, Ambassador of Spain; the team of 28033 - Madrid the Economic and Commercial Office of the General Tel: +34 91 394 87 31 / +91 379 17 28 Consulate of Spain in Miami, headed by Inmaculada Fax: +34 91 394 86 31 Gutiérrez; Santiago Gómez-Acebo, Deputy General Di- www.spainusa.org 5 6 SPAIN IN TEXAS, AN OLD FRIENDSHIP PROJECTED INTO THE FUTURE Message from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the European Union and Cooperation, Mr. Josep Borrell Fontelles I am writing these lines to accompany the felicitous nies; companies, I would add, which compete suc- words of my predecessor, Alfonso Dastis, in this cessfully in multiple sectors in one of the world’s publication dedicated to Spain’s presence in Texas. most demanding markets. As luck would have it, on my first trip abroad as I therefore applaud the US-Spain Council’s initiative a newly appointed Minister of the Government in launching this publication in honour of the visit headed by Pedro Sanchez, I will accompany Their by Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain to Majesties the King and Queen of Spain on their celebrate the tricentennial of the foundation of the three-stop tour of the United States, visiting New first Franciscan missions in San Antonio. Knowing Orleans, San Antonio and Washington. the past affords us a clearer perspective on the fu- ture, and the view from Texas shows me that the It is, unquestionably, a most fortunate coincidence. relationship between our two countries is dynamic Reinforcing Spain’s already good relations with the and vibrant, with innumerable prospects and limit- United States is a matter of State and, therefore, less potential. a priority for our Government. Moreover, Texas is a territory of particular significance to Spain, for both emotional and economic reasons. Josep Borrell Fontelles The ties we are now celebrating are deep-rooted and enduring, and it is obvious that for any Spa- MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, niard, just as for any Mexican, San Antonio has an THE EUROPEAN UNION unmistakeably familiar air, in its structure and in AND COOPERATION its architecture and, therefore, in its way of life. In addition, of all the States in this great country, it is with Texas that Spain conducts the greatest vo- lume of business. Texas is also one of the States that hosts the largest number of Spanish compa- 7 8 SPAIN IN TEXAS, AN OLD FRIENDSHIP PROJECTED INTO THE FUTURE Message from the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Mr. Alfonso Dastis Quecedo This year 2018 we commemorate one of the most Southwest and West of the United States, is a real significant events of the Spanish presence in North treasure that Spain regards with pride, and that, I am America. It is the celebration of the 300 years of the sure, will continue to be preserved in the future by the foundation by Spain of the city of San Antonio, in 1718, United States of America. The Spanish control over in what is currently the State of Texas. the territory of the current state of Texas lasted for a total of 131 years from 1690 to 1821, although the first On such an occasion, I will have the honor of accom- Spanish explorers had already traveled across the te- panying Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain rritory a century and a half before. During most of the when they first visit this beautiful Texan city and this Spanish period, the area gained a disproportionate important State next June, invited by the city’s Mayor, geopolitical importance in relation to its scarce de- Ron Nirenberg, and by the Governor of Texas, Greg mographic and economic weight within the Spanish Abbott. The visit of Their Majesties will also include Empire. Texas was for several centuries a critical entry New Orleans, in Louisiana, another great American point for religion, culture, and Western customs into city that also celebrates its tricentenary this year and North America. in which Spain also left an indelible historical mark. The Franciscan missions established in Texas during Spain has a very close and special link with Texas and the 18th century—five of which, in the vicinity of San with some of its cities, such as San Antonio, a munici- Antonio, have already been declared a World Herita- pality with deep Hispanic roots and possibly the most ge Site by UNESCO—, as well as some of its oldest Spanish of all Texan cities. The special relationship forts, are evidence of the importance this state had in that exists today between Spain and the United States the past. As is the Spanish urban layout of its largest could not be understood without taking into account cities, which will be remembered from June onwards the long-standing relationship between our country at the exhibition organized by the Fundación Consejo and the State of Texas. A state that, in fact, together España-EE.UU. "Designing America: Spain's Imprint in with Florida and California, stands as a symbol and the United States". a model of a close, thriving, and mutually beneficial relationship in many sectors, especially the economic We should not forget either the diverse string of Spa- one. nish names in the state’s cities, rivers, mountains or plains; its first irrigation systems, still preserved in San The historical legacy of Spain in this city, and also Antonio; its musical and cultural traditions; its Texan throughout Texas, as well as in other states of the and Tex-Mex cuisine; and, above all, the Spanish ori- 9 SPAIN IN TEXAS, AN OLD FRIENDSHIP PROJECTED INTO THE FUTURE gin of the ranch lifestyle, of the cowboy