Give Now  »

Noon Edition

What Restoring Diplomatic Ties With Cuba Means For Americans

Cuban flag being raised at the embassy in Washington, D.C.

The United States and Cuba are restoring diplomatic relations, re-opening their embassies in D.C. and Havana this week. The two countries severed diplomatic ties more than 50 years ago in the Cold War tensions of 1961.

The decision to restore diplomatic ties with the Caribbean country could result in a lifting of the trade and travel embargoes, meaning Americans could soon be heading to Cuba for their next vacation.

This week on Noon Edition, we'll speak with experts about what the renewal of diplomatic ties between the two nations means for Americans.

Our guests:

  • Michael Erisman is professor emeritus of International Politics and Latin America and Indiana State University. He serves as co-chair of the Working Group on U.S.-Cuban Relations which operates under the Latin American Association.
  • Gerardo Gonzalez is the former dean of the Indiana University School of Education. Gonzalez's family emigrated from Cuba when he was a child. He now serves as the university's director of efforts to reach out to Cuban higher education institutions.


Need to get caught up before listening to the show?



Take a look at these three stories to get up to speed for Friday's show.

1. 9 Questions About Cuba You Were Too Embarrassed To Ask

This deal is a way for the U.S. and Cuba to announce that they are done being enemies. The official diplomatic term for this is "normalize relations," which basically means to become friends. That is the most important part of this story, and it is truly historic.


2. After 54 Years, The U.S. And Cuba Formally Restore Ties

If you remember, this process kicked off in December, when President Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro announced their intention to normalize relations. Since then, the U.S. has eased some travel and economic restrictions and removed Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism.


3. U.S.-Cuba Ties Are Restored, But Most American Tourists Will Have To Wait

Want to participate in the show?



[cf]embed1[/cf]

  • Ask your questions by joining our live chat.
  • Follow us on Twitter @NoonEdition.
  • Calling in during the program at (812) 855-0811.


Noon Edition airs Friday at 12 p.m.

Support For Indiana Public Media Comes From

About