U.S., Cuba restores full diplomatic relations

The historic shift was publicly memorialized later Monday when Cuban officials formally inaugurated their embassy in Washington and Cuba’s blue, red and white-starred flag flew for the first time since the countries severed ties in 1961. A few USA lawmakers, including several prominent Republican presidential candidates, have vowed not to repeal the embargo and have pledged to roll back Obama’s moves on Cuba.

In the sweltering July heat and humidity of America’s capital, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez presided over the flag-raising ceremony just hours after an agreement to restore diplomatic ties broken in 1961 took effect at the stroke of midnight.

Though Kerry will enjoy a major ceremonial role in Havana when he visits the U.S. Embassy there next month, he has been less involved in Cuba policy than in the Middle East and Russian Federation. Beginning today, our diplomats in Havana will have the ability to engage more broadly across the island of Cuba, with the Cuban government, civil society and ordinary Cubans.

Kerry took advantage of the occasion to announce that he will travel to Havana on August 14 to raise the USA flag at this country’s diplomatic mission in Cuba, making him the first serving secretary of state to visit the island since 1945.

Rodriguez even suggested that the USA needed to leave its post inside Cuba at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base and that the U.S.is responsible for compensating the Cuban people for economic losses due to the ongoing embargo.

The US embassy could open in Havana as early as next month.

The statement also said there could be no “normal” relations between the two countries “as long as the economic, commercial and financial blockage continues to be fully implemented, causing damage and scarcities to the Cuban people”.

They were celebrating the historic event transpiring in front of an elegant old building: the reopening of a Cuban Embassy in the United States after 54 years, with the hoisting of the lone-star flag above the property.

The embassy opening is the most recent step in a series of initiatives lead by President Obama, following his December 17 announcement to reestablish formal ties. He added the us and Cuba had agreed to have conversations about fugitives and law enforcement.

An American anchorman reports outside the USA Interests Section in Havana, Cuba, on July 19, 2015.

The crowd at the embassy reopening included members of Congress who have supported rapprochement. “We now recall his presence in this city, in April of 1959, with the purpose of promoting firm bilateral relations”, said Bruno Rodriguez, Cuban foreign minister.

By the time, leader Fidel Castro steeped down of Cuban State and Barack Obama became president of the United States, they have improved.

Declaring the longstanding policy a failure, Obama said work would begin apace on normalization. More than 500 people, including Obama administration officials headed by Assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson, and a large visiting Cuban delegation, attended the ceremony.