Cuban Foreign Minister Heading to Washington for Embassy Opening

HAVANA TIMES —The Cuban government confirmed Thursday the 28-member delegation for the opening ceremony of its embassy in the US capital on July 20, headed by its Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez.

The US and Cuba have been holding official talks since January and formally resume diplomatic relations on Monday.

Rodriguez will preside over the ceremony to hoist the Cuban flag on the building that has served as the Cuban Interests Section. Later in the day he will be received by US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Kerry plans a trip to Havana in the coming weeks at a date yet to be determined.

The Cuban delegation accompanying Rodriguez includes singer Silvio Rodriguez, writer Miguel Barnet and former Foreign Minister Ricardo Alarcon, the Cuban media reported.

Also included are Havana City Historian Eusebio Leal, artist Alexis Leiva Machado “Kcho” the vice president of the Cuban parliament, Ana María Mari Machado, and Josefina Vidal, the diplomat in charge of the negotiations with the United States to resume the relationship after 54 years.

Washington and Havana officially resume relations at 0:01 of midnight Monday, when
both the Cuban Interests Section in Washington and the US Interests Section in Havana will formally become embassies.

No celebration is planned in Havana until the visit by Kerry, announced by President Barack Obama the day in early July when he announced the date for the resumption of bilateral relations.

Kerry will preside over the hoisting of the United States flag on the diplomatic mission in Cuba after a 54 year absence.

Obama and Raul Castro announced last December 17 a surprise a historic agreement for their countries to resume bilateral relations after decades of hostility and ideological confrontation. The declaration was preceeded by 18 months of secret talks.

The US unilaterally severed relations with Cuba back in 1961, two years after the triumph of the revolution led by Fidel Castro.