Secretary of State John Kerry oversaw the raising of the flag at the opening of the US embassy in Cuba. It reopened in 1977 in a scaled-back capacity known as the U.S. Interests Section under the protection of the Embassy of Switzerland. They cheered as Kerry spoke, the United States Army Brass Quintet played “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the flag rose alongside the building overlooking the Malecon seaside promenade.
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If he did have the ear of Secretary Kerry, this is what he’d have said: “The [Cuban] government is feeling more relaxed to repress us because they are completely focused on transferring power to their families and political allies”.
“There’s a sense of an opening possibility only – and we’re exploring whether or not we can find a series of steps that we agree on”, Kerry said of global conversations that include the Russians and Saudis alongside the U.S. “Clearly everybody is seized on this issue right now, because of the threat of ISIS, Dayesh, that is growing, and the disorder and catastrophe that Syria has become”. Kerry added that Congress would not lift the economic embargo if there were no movement on issues of freedom of conscience.
“The policies of the past have not led to a democratic transition here in Cuba“.
But the U.S. still needs to find agreement with those parties about the key players.
Two of the Cold War-era enemies have improved ties and after 54 long years the Stars and Strips flag will be seen flying over US Embassy in Havana, Cuba.
Kerry says the two sides can now begin the next phase for the development of bilateral ties.
A mere 90 miles to the north, in Florida, critics of President Barack Obama’s policy regarding Cuba are sounding off.
The ceremony was conducted inside the embassy gates looking out on the Bay of Havana before an audience of invited guests including Cuban officials and a group of U.S. lawmakers who support normalizing relations.
Cubans should be free to choose their own leaders, Kerry said, telling the government to respect global norms of human rights.
The U.S. has been working to balance its goal of promoting change in Cuba with its desire to work directly and amicably with the Cuban government in a new, formal diplomatic relationship.
The U.S. tried several times to hold discussions with Cuban officials about the details of Obama’s loosening of U.S. regulations, but those meetings never happened amid the pressure to strike a deal allowing the reopening of embassies in Havana and Washington on July 20.
Kerry also met with Cuban civil society leaders, including a selection of political dissidents.
Both the U.S. and Cuban governments say there will be many obstacles and disputes ahead.
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U.S. diplomats describe normalization as a “process” – their way of saying no one will be able to fairly judge the success of Obama’s initiative for some time.
