Arkansas' Asa Hutchinson: The First U.S. Governor to Go to Cuba

Gov. Asa Hutchinson, the first governor to travel to Cuba since the reopening of diplomatic relations with the U.S., said Tuesday that his trip to the country is intended to put Arkansas in the "top tier" for trade.

 

Hutchinson landed in Cuba on Sunday and is scheduled to return to Arkansas on Wednesday.

 

During a teleconference at the state Capitol in Little Rock, Hutchinson also spoke about the need to take economic opportunities step by step.

 

"What underscored the opportunity is a requirement for patience," he said. "You have to think … Cuba for over 50 years has had their economy stymied. They've been isolated from technology, and so it's going to take them some time to adjust to the new opportunities in the market space."