Raising the Cuban Flag at the Embassy in the D of C

[@realAzhyaAryola]

True to form, DC-style, supporters and the media rally outside the Cuban Embassy to commemorate this milestone--the restoration of USA-Cuba ties.



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http://www.georgetowner.com/articles/2015/jul/20/us-cuba-resume-diplomatic-relations/">http://www.georgetowner.com/articles/20 ... relations/">http://www.georgetowner.com/articles/2015/jul/20/us-cuba-resume-diplomatic-relations/



At midnight July 20, the U.S. and Cuba resumed diplomatic relations after 54 years of broken ties. Amidst the celebration, the media went into a frenzy, creating copious Cuba content. Below are some of the more interesting pieces, on history, architecture, politics, gossip and more that came out of the day.



As part of the network's coverage on Cuba, CNN looked at the fraught history of the Cuban Interests Section here and the U.S. Interests Section in Havana.



CNN also took video inside the Cuban Embassy on 16th Street, showcasing the property's elaborate architecture, ornate stain glass ceiling, marble staircases and more.



The New York Times reports on the U.S. embassy opening from the ground in Cuba, and looks at the changes the country faces as diplomatic ties fade away.



A new CBS poll shows that 58% of Americans support resuming diplomatic ties with Cuba while only 24% oppose it. In addition, 54% of Americans support ending the trade embargo between the two countries.



In a press conference today, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said that as diplomatic ties resume, so should the U.S. economic blockade of Cuba end. He added that the blockade "caused a lot of suffering to the Cuban people."



The Washington Post's Reliable Source theorizes that restored diplomatic ties will lead to more soirees at the Cuban Embassy, where an exclusive bar Hemingway's serves the best mojito in town, according to one source.



In other U.S.-Cuba news, the U.S. Men's national soccer team trounced the Cuban team 6-0 on Saturday to advance to the CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) Gold Cup Semi-Finals.

[Bricktop]

About time.



That entire "blockade" notion was stupid.

[asal]

That is so cool!

[Anonymous]

About time.



That entire "blockade" notion was stupid.

Warranted in 1960, but antiquated now.

[asal]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/5-things-to-know-about-u-s-reopening-its-cuba-embassy-today-1.3153051">//http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/5-things-to-know-about-u-s-reopening-its-cuba-embassy-today-1.3153051

4. Can all Americans now go to Cuba?



Nope. Both the travel restrictions and trade embargo remain in place. The embargo can only be lifted by Congress. The Treasury Department still maintains 12 categories for authorized travel, so while some American citizens can get permission to go to Cuba for specific purposes, touring the beaches on vacation is not one of them. Obama wants Congress to lift the embargo, but it's a divisive issue on Capitol Hill. The president did what he could to loosen some travel and economic restrictions a few months ago.

5. Is everything back to normal?



No. Given the embargo and other major issues between Cuba and the U.S., relations are still not considered fully normalized. The U.S. says it will co-operate on issues such as law enforcement and natural disasters, but when it comes to things like human rights and freedom of information, the U.S. and Cuba are still far apart. The U.S.-run Guantanamo Bay prison remains an irritant in the relationship and has not been resolved.

[J0E]

I was watching the Godfather II last night, and the scene which best represented the Bad Old Days of US Puppet Statism was when a poor  woman, seeming to represent the nation of Cuba during the pre-Castro days, is dragged onto the stage and forced to perform acts in a sex show, encouraged on by an audience which is overwhelmingly full of wealthy Americans.