The symbolic event took place eight months after Havana and Washington agreed to restore ties and almost four weeks after the US and Cuba formally renewed diplomatic relations and upgraded their diplomatic missions to embassies.
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Three retired Marines who lowered the flag that day, as Washington severed ties with Havana at the height of the Cold War, were on hand to give the new flag to the Marine guard now charged with security at the embassy.
“We will continue to urge the Cuban government to fulfill its obligations under U.N. and Inter-American human rights covenants – obligations shared by the United States and every other country in the Americas”, Kerry said.
“I don’t want to go to the United States, I want to stay in my country”.
It is the first time the Stars and Stripes has flown there in 54 years, since the US broke diplomatic ties with the nation. Cuban political dissidents were not invited to attend the ceremony out of apparent deference to the Cuban government, and though Kerry met with some of those dissidents later in the day, the decision was attacked by some.
Soon after Kerry was heading home Friday evening, diplomats who negotiated the July 20 embassy reopening will launch full-time into discussing how to bring about measures such as re-establishing direct flights and mail service.
The United States embargo was a cruel, decades long policy to deliberately impoverish the Cuban people in the hope it would destabilize the government.
Instead, he spoke of a wish for good neighbourly cooperation, and reiterated Mr Obama’s desire to see the embargo lifted – something that would remove the restrictions preventing much business, and allow completely free movement of people and goods.
“The leaders in Havana – and the Cuban people – should also know that the United States will remain a champion of democratic principles and reforms”, Kerry said.
In a minutely choreographed event, the flag was delivered by the three US marines, now in their 70s, who had taken it down in 1961 when president Dwight Eisenhower announced he was breaking relations with Fidel Castro’s regime.
Rodriguez emphasized that the lifting of the U.S. economic blockade was essential for Cuba to have normal relations with the U.S., as was the return of the territory now occupied by the Guantanamo naval base.
“It would be equally unrealistic to expect normalizing relations to have in a short term in transformation impact, after all, Cuba’s future is for Cubans to shape”, he said.
The US initiated the trade embargo against Cuba in the 1960’s following the deterioration of the relationship between the two countries. Who has invaded all of the countries of Latin America, including Cuba?
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We have different conceptions of sovereignty, democracy and human rights, Mr. Rodriguez said at a press conference alongside Mr. Kerry, but we are ready for dialogue on all subjects even if we do not always agree.
