Cuban Thaw

2015–2017 normalization of Cuba–U.S. relations

The United States–Cuban Thaw[1][2] (Spanish: deshielo cubano)[3][4] is a warming of Cuba–United States relations that began in December 2014, ending a 54-year break between the nations. In March 2016, Barack Obama became the first U.S. President to visit Cuba since 1928.[5]

President Obama meets with President Castro in Panama

Background change

On December 17, 2014, U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro announced the beginning of a process of normalizing relations between Cuba and the United States. The normalization agreement was secretly negotiated in the months before, being overseen by Pope Francis and largely hosted by the Government of Canada.

Meetings were held in Canada and in Vatican City.[6] The agreement would see the lifting of some U.S. travel restrictions, fewer restrictions on remittances, and U.S. banks' access to the Cuban financial system.[7]

Effects change

On April 14, 2015, the Obama administration announced that Cuba would be removed from the United States State Sponsors of Terrorism list. With no congressional action to block this within the permitted time period, Cuba was officially removed from the list on May 29, 2015. This marked a further departure by the United States from the Cold War conflict and its strain on Cuba–United States relations.

On July 20, 2015, the Cuban and U.S. "interests sections" in Washington and Havana were upgraded to embassies, marking the re-establishment of diplomatic relations that had been broken in 1961.[8][9][10]

Trump presidency change

On June 16, 2017 President Donald Trump announced that he was "canceling" the Obama administrations deals with Cuba, while also expressing that a new deal could be negotiated between the Cuban and United States governments.[11][12]

References change

  1. "Betting on a Cuban Thaw: Stocks Soar on Rumors of U.S. Relations With Cuba". Newsweek. Reuters. December 17, 2014.
  2. Parker, K. Quincy (January 8, 2015). "CARICOM Launches Five-Year Plan". The Nassau Guardian. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved March 19, 2017. The rapprochement of which Christie spoke has been referred to as 'The Cuban Thaw'.
  3. "Se inicia la Cumbre con la mira puesta en el 'deshielo' cubano-estadounidense". Télam (in Spanish). April 10, 2016. Retrieved April 17, 2016.
  4. Reyes Uschinsky, Carla (January 28, 2016). "Dos mujeres diplomáticas dirigen las negociaciones en el deshielo cubano". Mundario (in Spanish). Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  5. "Obama begins historic visit to Cuba". Washington Post. March 20, 2016.
  6. Nadeau, Barbie Latza (December 17, 2014). "The Pope's Diplomatic Miracle: Ending the U.S.–Cuba Cold War". The Daily Beast. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  7. Tannebaum, Daniel & Stokes, Amber (December 18, 2014). "Key Points from the President's Announcement on Cuba Sanctions" (PDF). First Take. PwC Financial Services Regulatory Practice.
  8. Keane, Angela Greiling & Dorning, Mike (December 17, 2014). "Cuba's Half Century of Isolation to End". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  9. Baker, Peter (December 18, 2014). "Obama Announces U.S. and Cuba Will Resume Relations". The New York Times. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  10. "US and Cuba restore ties by opening embassies". Al Jazeera. July 20, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  11. CNN, Dan Merica and Jim Acosta (15 June 2017). "Trump chips away at Obama's legacy on Cuba". CNN. Retrieved 2017-06-16. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  12. "Live stream: Trump announces policy changes on Cuba". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2017-06-16.

Other websites change

  Media related to United States–Cuban Thaw at Wikimedia Commons