Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of States, disappointed at Cuba’s response.

The US Secretary of States, Hillary Clinton, showed disappointment when Cuba’s leaders responded no will to normalize the ties with the country. The relations between Washington and the communist government have been given hopes under the Obama administration regarding to its attempts to improve ties. However, the response of the Castros government has torn any expectations as neither political reform nor ending for sanctions was an incentive. Cuba’s leaders still keep their blames for U.S. trade embargo, and believe that the U.S. together with Europe and Western media are playing an act to “demonise Cuba and to destabilize the country.” Meanwhile, Mrs Clinton drew a deep breath as she said Cuba didn’t want to see normalization because “they would lose all of their excuses for what hasn't happened in Cuba in the last 50 years." Improvement of the relation between these two countries seems not to be reality any time soon.
Read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8612765.stm

by Yen Do.

Latin Countries are Friends not Food!

by Sarah Richardson

This week President Obama made a vow to the countries of this hemisphere that America is ready to work as equals with the countries of Latin America. He made a particular commitment to seek a new beginning with Cuba. a CNN polled showed that 2 out of 3 Americans think that travel bans should be lifted off Cuba and the 5 decade estrangement from the country reconciled. 71 percent of Americans said that diplomatic relations with Cuba should be restored. Others think that it is death sentence. When Cubans were interviewed, they were open to conversation with the US but felt that they had never been the ones to stop dialogue in the first place, so eventually it's up to the United States to make a move

I can't help but agree with the majority of Americans. A conversation does not mean that we become best friends, it's just an open dialogue.

Obama's Supports Cuban Family Reunions

Post by Bri Roozen

Life just got a little better for Cuban-Americans missing their families.  According to Obama's newest policy, this small group of citizens will now be able to travel freely between the US and Cuba.  Cuban-Americans will also be able to easily import goods and freely send money to Cuba via bank transfers.  International AID groups will also be able to move freely to distribute aid and supplies to those in need.  This is really the first major reconciliation towards Cuba since the Cuban Missile Crisis happened back in 1962.  Since that time America has had a strict trade and travel embargo on Cuba, although entrepreneuring Americans have slipped into Cuba via Mexico (Cuba doesn't stamp American passports out of courtesy).  

While at this time only Cuban-Americans will have these rights, one can expect that within the next few years the Cuban Embargo will be slowly lifted.  Personally, I look forward to the day when an American can once again legally walk the streets of our neighbor Havana.