Obama Announces U.S., Cuba Embassy Openings
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - In a historic change of relations between the U.S. and Cuba, President Barack Obama has announced that the two countries have agreed to open embassies in each others capitals.
"Today I can announce that the United States has agreed to formally re-establish diplomatic relations with the republic of Cuba and reopen embassies in our respective countries," said President Obama. "This is a historic step forward in our efforts to normalize relations with the Cuban government and people. And begin a new chapter with our neighbors in the Americas."
Last December the Mr. Obama announced that the US would move to restore ties with the communist country after more than a half century.
In April of this year, President Obama met Cuban President Raul Castro in Panama. It was the first face to face meeting between leaders of the two countries in nearly six decades.
On Wednesday, the senior U.S. diplomat in Havana handed a letter from President Obama addressed to Raul Castro confirming the decision to restore diplomatic relations between Cuba and the U.S.
Carta del presidente Obama confirma la decisión de restablecer relaciones diplomáticas #USCuba http://t.co/mzKDEyZqkg pic.twitter.com/xZrYd8dsSP
— Cuba MINREX (@CubaMINREX) July 1, 2015
In a letter to President Obama read on Cuba's state run television, Raul Castro wrote that the re-establishment of relations with the U.S. was done in the "spirit of reciprocal friendship." The Cuban leader went on to say their actions were "based in the principle of equality" and that that U.S. must "abstain from threats of intervention."
President Obama's Letter To Raul Castro
Raul Castro's Letter To President Obama
The decision to re-establish formal relations and open embassies did not sit well with Cuban-born GOP Senator Marco Rubio.
"I intend to oppose the confirmation of an Ambassador to Cuba until these issues are addressed. It is time for our unilateral concessions to this odious regime to end," said Senator Marco Rubio in a statement.
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen released a statement saying opening a U.S. embassy in Cuba "will do nothing to help the Cuban people and is just another trivial attempt for President Obama to go legacy shopping."
Click here to see what others had to say.
The deal faced weeks of delays because the US wanted to make sure its Ambassador to Cuba would be allowed to travel freely to meet with Cubans of all walks of life, including dissidents.
'With this change, we will be able to substantially increase our contacts with the Cuban people. We'll have more personnel at our embassy and our diplomats will have the ability to engage more broadly across the island," Mr. Obama said, adding that includes the Cuban government, civil society, ordinary Cubans who "are reaching for a better life."
The U.S. hasn't had an ambassador to Cuba for more than 50 years.
"When the United States shuttered our embassy in 1961, I don't think anyone expected that it would be more than half a century before it re-opened. After all, our nations are separated by only 90 miles and their deep bonds of family and friendship between our people."
The White House still has to nominate an ambassador.
