The Governor of the State of New Mexico in the US , Bill Richardson, has started a five-day visit to Cuba to consolidate trade and cultural ties between the two sides, announced the governor’s office on August 23.

Last August, Governor Richardson visited Cuba and held talks with the Chairman of Cuba’s National Assembly Ricardo Alarcon.

In an interview published in the Washington Post earlier this month, the politician urged President Barack Obama to lift the travel ban on Cuba as it would be a bold step towards normalising relations with the Caribbean State .

Governor Richardson also visited Cuba in 1996 and was received by President Fidel Castro./.