HAVANA – Spain’s prime minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, sent a message of congratulations to Spanish businessmen “committed to Cuba’s economic growth and the increase of its social well-being.”

The message was read Thursday night during the annual dinner of the Spanish Businessmen’s Association in Cuba, attended by the island’s trade and investment minister, Rodrigo Malmierca, along with other authorities.

“The figures are eloquent,” said Zapatero’s letter. “Spain is the country leading in investments on the island with more than $1.5 billion.”

He added that “this investment by companies that mean to stay is a guarantee of the future economic development of the country.”

“We can feel proud of the work our companies are doing on the island and for which they can depend on the appreciation and backing of the Spanish government,” the message said.

Zapatero assured the businessmen that “your work is a bridge between the two countries,” adding that “Spain feels very strong ties to Cuba.”

Spain was the country with the biggest presence at the 27th International Trade Fair in Havana, held this week, with representatives of more than 80 companies and official delegations from several regions.

Nonetheless, Spanish sales to Cuba dropped by 37 percent between January and August compared with the same months in 2008, the Spanish ambassador to Havana, Manuel Cacho, said.

For its part, Cuban sales to Spain declined during that period by 20 percent.

Spanish businesses have big problems collecting what the Cuban government owes them, an amount that stands at about $600 million among commercial suppliers alone, and in transferring funds out of the country.

Cuba is going through a recession that forced the authorities to lower their forecast for economic growth in 2009 from 6 percent to below 2 percent, and has caused drastic cutbacks in imports, which were outpacing exports 5-1 at the beginning of the year. EFE