US, Cuba Officially Restore Diplomatic Relations, Reopen Embassies

REP. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN (R), Florida: I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to try to block the expansion of a U.S. Embassy in Cuba, to try to stop the confirmation of a US ambassador to the island. By midmorning, the Cuban government had pulled back several of the eight or so security guards who had stood watch. They snapped photos, as US tourists posed for selfies in front of the building.

Assistant Secretary of State Robert Jacobson, who led the talks to restore ties, was the highest ranking US official to attend.

In Washington, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez presided over a flag raising ceremony at Havana’s mission.

The Cuban banner also took its place in the columned marble entrance hall to the State Department, hoisted before dawn between the flags of Croatia and Cyprus.

The foreign minister spoke at a reception inside the stately building, which was visited by revolutionary leader Fidel Castro just months after he seized power in Cuba in 1959. “It will require very intense negotiations since the United States is pushing for a political and economic opening-up in Cuba”, said Mario Torrico, a professor at the Latin American Social Sciences Academy in Mexico City.

Both interests sections have technically operated as part of Switzerland’s embassies in Washington and Havana.

In Havana, the USA Interests Section upgraded its own status to that of a full embassy Monday. “It didn’t exist in Jan 1961”.

A few hours later at the State Department, Kerry said that the process of completely normalizing relations will be “long and complex” and it will include “moments… of frustration”, but this is a “long overdue journey”.

As the flag was raised a small group chanted “Cuba Yes, Embargo No” recalling the major barriers that remain between Washington and Havana.

The historic diplomatic shift comes 54 years after a diplomatic break that happened during USA President John Kennedy’s administration.

“We’ve waited a long time for this day”, Senator Patrick Leahy said as he entered the grounds. However, New Jersey Sen. It’s a symbolic move signaling the start of a new post-Cold War era in U.S.-Cuba relations.

While July 20, 2015 will go down in history marking a jubilant record for the Cuba-U.S. relations, one thing is for certain: it will take quite a while before the two former adversaries rebuild trust.

Klobuchar, a Democrat, has been a staunch supporter of normalizing U.S.-Cuban relations and since President Barack Obama announced steps in that direction past year, she has advocated opening an embassy.

Raul Castro said last week that now the hard work begins. Since then, the US has eased some travel and economic restrictions and removed Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Full relations were restored at midnight, setting in motion a day of flurried ceremonial events.

The American flag will not though be raised at the embassy in Havana until an official visit by USA Secretary of State John Kerry to the Cuban capital on August 14.