The U.S. and Cuba joint announcement on Dec. 17 that they would work toward re-establishing diplomatic relations seemed to symbolize the dawning of a new era for the Cold War foes.
But in the weeks that followed, Cuban officials have demanded that the U.S. meet ambitious conditions before describing diplomatic relations as “normalized,” highlighting obstacles that remain to mending the fractured relationship.
At a summit of Latin American leaders in San José, Costa Rica, last month, Cuban head of state Raúl Castro said the U.S. would have to return the territory upon which the U.S. naval base at Guantánamo is built and do away with the trade embargo before relations could be normalized.
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The Obama administration ordered the State Department to review Cuba’s inclusion on the list in December when announcing the changes in diplomacy. The list subjects Cuba to additional sanctions beyond the embargo.
An updated version of the list will be published in April, according to the news service EFE.
