The Obama administration will initiate diplomatic relations with Cuba and open an embassy in Havana in coming months, President Obama will announce later Wednesday.
The major shift in U.S. policy comes after the release of American government worker Alan Gross from a Cuban prison.
“We believe the policy of the past has not worked,” said a senior administration official, previewing the announcement. “That does not for a moment mean we’re lessening our emphasis on human rights and democracy.”
The president at the White House will announce his Cuba blueprint at noon.
Obama spoke with Cuban President Raul Castro by phone Tuesday, the first such discussions between the nations’ two leaders in more than five decades. The terms of the deal were hashed out during secret talks in Canada in which Pope Francis personally intervened, officials said.
The president will also announce measures to ease travel and the flow of goods between the United States and Cuba. U.S. travelers will be licensed to visit Cuba for family reasons, government business, religious activities and other humanitarian projects.
However, the economic embargo on Cuba cannot be completely lifted without congressional approval.
And critics were quick to denounce the president’s latest executive action, saying Obama should have gone to Congress to seek approval for such a landmark change in U.S. policy.
The U.S. secured Gross after agreeing to release three Cuban prisoners convicted of spying in the United States. Senior administration officials said one unnamed, U.S. intelligence source was also released from Cuban captivity as part of the deal.
Under the new guidelines, licensed American travelers are now authorized to import $400 worth of goods from Cuba but are limited to no more than $100 of tobacco products and alcohol.
U.S. banks can open accounts at Cuban financial institutions. And U.S. credit and debit cards are permitted for use in the island nation.
“What we’re focused on today is turning the page to a new chapter,” said another senior administration official. “This could be a transformative event for the United States in Latin America.”
This story was first published at 11:04 a.m.
