Kerry Greats New Start in Cuban-American Relations

US Secretary of State, John Kerry, today welcomed the new beginning in relations between the people and the Cuban government with the Americans.

In a speech to mark the raising of the American flag at the embassy in Havana, Kerry said the road towards normalization is long, but that’s why we are here, he said.

The chief diplomat of the White House said it is wonderful to be here at this time ‘truly historic’ and ruled that the courageous decision of President of Cuba, Raul Castro, and his American peer, Barack Obama, will leave both parts to be prisoners of history and focus on the opportunities of today and tomorrow.

He highlighted the benefits will be there when Cubans and Americans can relate more, exchange ideas and learn from each other, which would create a spirit of cooperation and progress in dissimilar areas. Neighbors, he said, have much to talk about.

We all know that the blockade against Cuba remains in place and can only be amended by Congress, something which we favor, despite President Obama took steps to standardization in the context of its executive powers but, he said, we want to do more.

US Secretary of State also advocated that both sides eliminate existing restrictions to advance further on the path of normalization and predicted that there will be further work.

I quote the Cuban Apostle, José Martí, who pointed out that all that divides people is a sin against humanity.

He stressed that it is time to approach, it is time to tell the world that we love, and we are not enemies or rivals, but neighbors, it’s time to deploy our flags and let the world we wish the better for each other.

Kerry’s intervention was chaired by the recitation of a poem by Cuban poet Richard Blanco, Cosas del Mar, who said that ‘the sea no matter, we all belong to the sea that separates us’.

In a reference to this moment, the poem called to leave behind doubts and share horizons.