A Cautiously Optimistic Cuban American

HowlRound: On December 17th the Obama Administration announced the historic reestablishing of diplomatic ties with the Cuban government. As a Cuban American I am cautiously optimistic and grateful for this first step toward ending the US embargo of Cuba, a policy which has been in place for more than fifty years. The embargo has proven to be ineffectual at best and, at worst, become the scapegoat to which the Cuban government can point as the source of all Cuba's ills.