“If he’s not seen as pushing hard for American principles, the U.S. will be viewed as not strong, but accommodationist”. When asked about Friday’s events and its possible repercussions, she said “it’s possible [to have] a new opening, more economic developments for our families, for our country – for us”.
Advertisement
While clearly the Cuban government won’t change overnight, Zarate said the question is, “can we deluge it with American influence and commerce, and can that [have an] impact as a younger demographic takes over in the country?”
On Wednesday, she was joined by U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart who said, “He might as well be raising the white flag of surrender because that is what this shameful day is really about”.
In an interview Wednesday with the Miami Herald and CNN en Espanol, Kerry said human rights is “obviously at the top of our agenda in terms of the first things that will be focused on in our direct engagement” with Cuban officials.
“All the people in Cuba fighting for democracy, when they protest, they are rounded up, arrested and beaten”.
There are also more tangible goals for America, such as the extradition of Joanne Chesimard.
Eight months later, Cuba has repeatedly demanded a complete lifting of the embargo.
While Cuba has increased its highly limited Internet access since December. 17 in a measure U.S. officials partially attribute to the warming with Washington, ordinary Cubans are growing increasingly impatient for concrete results from the new relationship.
“This is a step we strongly favor”, he added.
The Democratic president also has used his executive power to relax some US travel and trade restrictions.
The ceremony was scheduled for 1400 GMT Friday.
“So I started thinking about that and how to make that something not about separation, but about unification.” he continued, “And so it’s the sea that separates us, but it’s also the sea that unites us”.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in Havana for an historic ceremony to raise the U.S. flag over a restored U.S. Embassy in the Cuban capital.
In remarks at a flag-raising ceremony at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba, Kerry says “I want to sincerely thank leaders from throughout the Americas who have long urged the United States and Cuba to restore normal ties”.
“I would love to see the entire ceremony but we are Foreign Service officers and at some point you have to go”, said Conrad Tribble, the then-deputy chief of mssion, whose three-year tour in Cuba happened to be ending the next day.
Fidel Castro marked his 89th birthday Thursday by insisting the United States owes Cuba “many millions of dollars” because of the half-century-old American trade embargo.
Former Cuban president Fidel Castro, writing in a newspaper column on Thursday, said the US owes the country “numerous millions of dollars” for damages caused by its decades-long embargo.
Advertisement
Crowds are expected to surround the United States’ seaside diplomatic mission when Kerry unveils the new U.S. Embassy sign and a Marine guard raises the flag.
