Havana, November 19 (RHC)-- A visiting delegation from the U.S. state of West Virginia headed by Governor Earl Tomblin finished a visit to Cuba this Saturday.

The delegation met with government officials in Havana and was briefed on Cuba's current economic scenario.

Speaking to the media in Havana, Governor Tomblin said he saw opportunities for business between West Virginia and Cuba, noting that West Virginia is a small state but one that is very active within the United States and is strategically located.

The governor said energy was an are in which West Virginia and Cuba could cooperate, and that his state was also interested in research and information exchange between universities on the two sides in the areas of education and health.

Many governors in the U.S. are supportive of the process of normalization between the U.S. and Cuba, said Governor Earl Tomblin,  who did not believe that the newly elected, Republican administration in the U.S. could reverse such process.

“There may be some movement on the part of the new federal government that is coming in, but I also feel that there are those many of us who would like to see the  normalization of relations between the U.S. and Cuba and I think that what has been done over the last couple of years will remain in place. And I think that governors, those of us who have visited Cuba, will be supporters, and obviously we at the state level through our U.S. senators and congressman do have some input into the decisions that are made in Washington.”  

West Virginia Governor Earl Tomblin speaking to the media in Havana. Tomblin, who is the 35th Governor of West Virginia, served as President of the West Virginia Senate for nearly 17 years. Currently outgoing, he has been in office as governor since November 2010.