The Heat: US embassy re-opens in Havana

The Heat

Secretary of State John Kerry, and other dignitaries watch as U.S. Marines raise the U.S. flag over the newly reopened embassy in Havana, Cuba. Friday, Aug. 14, 2015. Kerry traveled to the Cuban capital to raise the U.S. flag and formally reopen the long-closed U.S. Embassy. Cuba and U.S. officially restored diplomatic relations July 20, as part of efforts to normalize ties between the former Cold War foes. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Pool)

For the first time in more than fifty years, an American flag is now flying outside the U.S. Embassy in Havana. The embassy officially reopened on July 20th, when diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba were formally re-established.

It was a poignant moment as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry watched the same three marines who lowered the flag in 1961 hand off the flag to three current marines to raise it again outside the U.S. Embassy in Havana.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriquez has already raised his own country’s flag at the re-opened Cuban Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Secretary Kerry is the highest ranking U.S. official to set foot on the small Caribbean island in 70 years.

The Heat began its discussion:

  • From Havana, Carlos Alzugaray joined The Heat. Alzugaray is a Cuban diplomat and educator.
  • Mark Weisbrot is the co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington.

Now that the United States and Cuba have restored diplomatic ties, what does it mean for other Latin American countries? The Heat continued its discussion.

  • From New York is Eva Golinger. She is an attorney, author and commentator on Latin American affairs.
  • In Washington, Michael Shifter joined the discussion. Shifter is the President of Inter-American Dialogue and a professor of Latin American Studies at Georgetown University.
  • From Bangkok The Heat was joined by Pepe Escobar. He is a Brazilian journalist and a roving correspondent for the Asia Times.