Tampa congressional longshot Al Fox returns from his, like, 3 millionth visit to Cuba tonight and is holding a press conference at Tampa International Airport at 8:20 p.m. With his buddy Fidel laid up (he’s met with Cuba’s presidente nine times), Fox instead talked commerce with other high-ranking Cuban officials. Here is his report, sent from La Habana yesterday:

“I had dinner with the President of the National Assembly, Ricardo Alarcon, where we discussed the arrangement Cuba has with China and Norway for oil drilling. I asked him if Cuba would welcome me to bring a delegation of members from the American oil industry to discuss and secure contracts to drill for oil in Cuban waters, if we could find a way to get around the Helms-Burton Act.  The answer was yes. I was also informed they are prepared to sign a contract with the Port of Tampa, contingent upon our government’s willingness to allow such an agreement.”

This article appears in Aug 2-8, 2006.