The Spanish ambassador to the United States will be in Austin today and Thursday to visit with state and local officials and give a speech or two. Ambassador Ramón Gil-Casares is a former assistant secretary of state and foreign policy adviser to Spanish Head of Government J.M. Aznar. He will travel accompanied by Houston-based Enric Panés, the consul general of Spain in Texas. Gil-Casares plans to meet with several state officials, including House Speaker Joe Straus; Rep. Rafael Anchía, chair of the International Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee; Austin Mayor Steve Adler and others. Gil-Casares will address the Austin Council on Foreign Affairs Thursday, where he will discuss the economic and political situation in Spain, and the state of relations between Spain and the U.S. He will also meet with leaders of several Spanish businesses that have investments in Texas.