US invites Switzerland to reopen its embassy in Cuba

The Obama administration does not plan to ask Cuban dissidents to Secretary of State John Kerry’s historic flag-raising on the U.S. Embassy in Havana on Friday, vividly illustrating how U.S. coverage is shifting focus from the island’s opposition to its single-party authorities.

His demeanor could matter as much as his remarks. D-Fla., and others announced the introduction of the Cuba Trade Act of 2015: “This legislation would lift the Cuba embargo and allow for businesses in the private sector to trade freely with Cuba, while prohibiting taxpayer funds to be used on promotion or development of this new market.”The return of diplomatic relations has created a sense of momentum that would catapult the U.S. beyond its failed policy on Cuba”.

Just eight months ago, traveling to Cuba was still a mystery to most Americans. “Given these developments, we repeat our recommendation from three years ago”.

“Cuban dissidents are the legitimate representatives of the Cuban people and it is they who deserve America’s red carpet treatment, not Castro regime officials”, Rubio continued. The palatial 35,000-square-foot residence in Havana’s former “Country Club” district has a reputation for good brownies – but parties that rarely last beyond 9 p.m. “The Cuban government has grown even bolder”.

Cuba’s boycott only hardened as the United States began inviting government opponents to the receptions.

“It is a diplomatic and moral failure on this Administration’s part to have moved forward with opening an embassy in Havana and providing the regime with a windfall of U.S. dollars without achieving any of our national interests in return”, Rubio wrote. Kerry’s visit will be a largely ceremonial event (the Cubans already held their flag-raising in Washington) but it will also be the first visit by a U.S. secretary of state to Cuba since 1945.

The Cuban opposition has occupied the middle of U.S. coverage towards the island because the nations minimize diplomatic relations in 1961.

The United States said it was “deeply concerned” over the incident but that it would not affect Kerry’s visit. “I say: Flood the zone”, he said.

Another cloud over the budding relationship is an estimated $6 billion to $8 billion – in today’s dollars – in 5,913 certified claims by U.S. companies and citizens whose properties were expropriated by Cuba during the early years of the revolution.

This week, after Cuba briefly rounded up dozens of protesting dissidents, the U.S. did not recommend such motion would delay Kerry’s journey or cool relations.

Over the weekend, the government arrested almost 100 dissidents, including about 50 members of the Ladies in White group who attempted to march wearing Obama masks.