Spain's bonds with the United States have deep historical and cultural roots which date back to the first voyages of Spanish explorers to North America in the 16th century. Historical milestones as distinguished as the discovery of Florida by Juan Ponce de León in 1513; the creation of the Pensacola establishment by Tristán de Luna y Arellano in 1559; the foundation of St. Augustine in Florida by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés in 1565, the first city founded by Europeans in the United States of America; or the establishment of the network of Franciscan missions in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California, just some of the evidence of those common historical bonds. Missions laid the foundations of great metropolises like Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego in California and booming cities like San Antonio in Texas, which in 2018 celebrates its tricentenary. Like the decisive contribution of Bernardo de Gálvez to the Independence of the United States, whose portrait returned to the United States Capitol and who was named as a citizen of honour in 2014, recalling the support of Spain to the Thirteen Colonies.

This important legacy is not a mere reminder, because today Hispanic and Spanish affairs, including our language, are very much to the fore in American society. The Hispanic community in the United States totals some 57.5 million Spanish speakers and now represents 17.4% of its population. Our language is also the most studied in the United States, which will be the first country in the world by number of Spanish speakers in 2060, behind only Mexico. The Spanish community residing in this country is also growing and has surpassed the 100,000 people, who are holding prominent positions in the business, scientific, technological, educational, cultural and sporting spheres of US society. Spanish nationals resident long-term or temporarily in the United States also have the support of nine Consulates General of Spain in the cities of New York, Boston, Miami, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Juan de Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.