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This is a historic day for America. Barack Obama, the US president, and Raul Castro, his Cuban counterpart, held speech announcing a historic reconciliation between the two countries. These speeches have formalized a series of important changes in the relationship between Cuba and the United States.
Speeches “historic”. “Todos somos americanos” (we all come from America) launched Barack Obama in Spanish. For the US president, “neither Cubans nor the Americans are rewarded by a rigid policy.” He decided to drastically alter US foreign policy toward the communist regime. “We also have diplomatic relations with China [...] and Vietnam,” two other communist countries, argued the American leader. However, he has warned, “do not expect that the change takes place in one night, it will be long. ‘No es fácil”.
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A resumption of diplomatic relations This is the most important announcement that will be made.. Washington and Havana will resume their dialogue, as the two countries look back for 53 years. Barack Obama has asked his Secretary of State John Kerry to begin “immediately” talks to restore diplomatic relations with the Castro regime. A US embassy is expected to open in Havana “in the coming months.” Senior officials will visit Cuba “in the near future,” said Barack Obama.
In early 1961, a dispute over the number of diplomats in embassies had sealed the split between the United States and Cuba, before Washington is trying to overthrow the regime of Fidel Castro during the landing of the Bay of Pigs. Since then, relations are only informally. There is one year, Barack Obama had met Raul Castro during the ceremony of homage to Nelson Mandela, South Africa.
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A reduction of the embargo The speeches of the two leaders differ on the subject of the US embargo in place since 1962. Raul Castro, the “main question remains to be settled.” Barack Obama, for his part, intends to “facilitate economic transactions, bank exchange, commercial and freight between the United States and Cuba.”
However, “the embargo there is a Half a century has been the subject of a law “in the United States, said the US president. Barack Obama will have to engage in discussions with Congress to lift the blockade
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The release of an American unlocks all This follows the release of Alan Gross, an American prisoner on. the island since 2009, in exchange for three Cuban prisoners in the United States. Washington has always conditioned relaxation with Cuba for the release of the former contract from the US Federal Agency for International Development, a branch of the Department of State.
In addition, 53 political prisoners will be released as part of this merger, said a US official. Since coming to power of Raul Castro, thousands of political prisoners have been set free.
The role of the Vatican. Francis Pope and the Vatican have played a vital intermediary role in this historic reconciliation, said a senior US official. The Pope has launched a personal appeal to Barack Obama in a letter this summer and separately to Raul Castro, and the Vatican hosted delegations from both countries to finalize the merger, said the official. Pope Francis has also expressed “great satisfaction” Wednesday for the “historic decision” of Cuba and the United States to establish diplomatic relations, said the Holy See.
Terrorism and security with Cuba. Between 1961 and 2014, the nerve center of the security problems in the world has greatly moved. “As the US focus on al-Qaida threats and the Islamic state, it is important to be able to advance to allow for new relations” with Cuba, Obama said. So the US will withdraw the Caribbean island of the list of countries that support terrorism. In the 60s, the two countries came close to nuclear conflict during the missile crisis.
A relaxing (almost) universally welcomed. Latin American leaders have welcomed the United States and Cuba for their rapprochement. It is “a historical rectification” said Nicolas Maduro, Venezuelan President, supported by the leaders of the Mercosur economic alliance of Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Uruguay and Paraguay. Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General of the UN, said he was “ready to help” the two countries to improve their relations.
For now, only the Republican chairman of the House of representatives considered the decision of Barack Obama “stupid”. “The relations with the Castro regime should not be revised, much less standardized, so that the Cuban people will not enjoy the freedom,” said John Boehner.
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