U.S. and Cuba to reopen embassies The two countries are working to reestablish relations after 50 years of estrangement.

It’s happening: The United States and Cuba will re-establish embassies in each other’s capitals, possibly by the end of the month — a milestone in the two nations’ efforts to normalize diplomatic relations after decades of bitter estrangement.

President Barack Obama will make the announcement on Wednesday, senior administration officials said. They did not provide a date for the reopening, but a source familiar with the administration’s deliberations said officials are aiming for the end of July. Secretary of State John Kerry, who is currently in Vienna for nuclear talks with Iran, is expected to attend the opening ceremony in Havana.


Obama announced in December that his administration would reestablish ties with the communist-led island nation after more than 50 years, a legacy-shaping move that has already further warmed U.S. relations with other nations in Latin America. The administration has gone ahead and lifted some travel and trade restrictions and removed Cuba from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism.

The rapprochement with Cuba has plenty of critics, however, including many Republicans in Congress who warn against appeasing a regime known for human rights violations. Two of the leading opponents are GOP presidential candidates Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas. Other Republicans running for president, such as former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida, have also voiced misgivings.

The U.S. and Cuba already operate what are called “interests sections” in each other’s capitals, and those missions, which operate under the umbrella of Switzerland, are expected to be upgraded to embassies. Negotiations over the restoration of full-fledged diplomatic ties have lasted months, longer than many had anticipated. A high-profile round of talks in May yielded no agreement.

Among the sticking points in the negotiations were how free U.S. diplomats would be to travel across Cuban territory and how much access they would have to the general public. Cuban leaders have reportedly been particularly concerned about U.S. journalism and democracy-promotion programs they fear could undermine the government of Raul Castro.

U.S. officials have already noted that American diplomats work under a range of restrictions in other communist-led and authoritarian countries, and that arrangements with the Cubans are likely to follow those precedents. Administration officials on Tuesday, however, offered no details about what specific terms had been reached.

Obama himself has also said the U.S. will continue to raise its concerns about human rights and other challenges in Cuba despite the new détente between the countries.

The Obama administration is required to give Congress a 15-day notice of intent to reestablish its embassy in Havana. State Department officials have said that, partly because there are no budgetary implications, there’s virtually nothing U.S. lawmakers can do to prevent the upgrading of the existing mission to an embassy.

One area where opponents of the renewed ties could pose headaches is the appointment of an ambassador to Cuba. Rubio and Cruz, who as senators could slow down the approval of an ambassador’s nomination, have already indicated they will block any nominee offered up by the White House.

Observers have said, however, that Obama may choose to avoid the fight over an ambassador altogether, and that an embassy can function fine without one. (The current “chief of mission” for the U.S. in Cuba, Jeffrey DeLaurentis, is considered a top contender for the ambassador’s job if Obama chooses to name one.)

One outstanding question is whether Obama himself will visit Cuba before he leaves office; he already held a historic meeting with Castro in April while both were in Panama. Earlier this year, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told a Cuban journalist visiting Washington that the president “would relish the opportunity to visit the island of Cuba and Havana in particular.” Another possibility being floated is a Castro visit to the United States.

Administration officials declined to comment Tuesday on either Obama or Castro’s travel plans.

Edward-Isaac Dovere contributed to this report.