embargo on cuba.ama's congressional opponents have also vowed to block any ambassadorial nominee to cuba, have denounced the decision to formally remove cuba from the u.s. list of state sponsors of terrorism. today, three cuban-american lawmakers -- florida republican representatives mario diaz-balart, carlos curbelo, and ileana ros-lehtinen -- are holding a news conference in miami. ros-lehtinen told the wall street journal -- "allowing the opening of the cuban embassy in washington is nothing but another indefensible capitulation by the obama administration to an avowed enemy of the u.s." meanwhile, white house spokesman josh earnest has dismissed such opponents as a vocal minority with entrenched partisan interests. speaking on friday, earnest said u.s. restoration of relations with cuba has strong support in congress. >> there is bipartisan support for advancing the policies the president announced to normalize our relations with cuba, that there have been some entrenched partisan interests that h

cuba relations over the years. you mentioned the united states invaded cuba in the 19th century. they sponsored cuba in 1961 and there has been terrorism directed against cuba by cuban american terrorists protected in miami. there has been allegations of biological warfare. there's a blockade. there's a territory of guantanamo since the united states has maintained since 1903 against the wishes of the cuban government or the cuban people. the united states talks about violations of human rights. in cuba good process has not been based in guantanamo and there has been allegations of torture, by the united states government and not by cuba. when cuba is hesitant about accepting the new thaw in relations, and saying everything is great, and they are cautious about it they have reasons to think that. >> is jose right, it the united states case undermined by what has gone on at guantanamo. when the secretary of state, when an n.g.o. presumes to talk to cubans about the state of human rights in their country? as an american i have to tell you we did ourselves no favors by what we have

i am concerned that all the talk is about an open cuba instead of a free cuba. a cuba that is open for american businessmen to go there and to make money instead of concern about the rights of the expandcuban people and the cuban people to enjoy the basic human rights that every human being is entitled to. all that i hear with this openness is we're going to be able to go and to do business and that will being a great if americans could go in there and do business with any cuban who they chose to do business with. that's not the case. that's not the case at all. you go there and you play by castro's rules and you are told who you can do business with. and for the most part it's the members of the castro elite natural will become the business partners of the american investors that want to make money in cuba. i think the san carlos institute can play a pivotal role in bringing the cuban people together. and that's why i have dedicated 30 years of my life to this cause. not to restore, bring back to life a building or to establish a multipurpose facility that serv

ideally what do we want from cuba? what can cuba contribute? >> what cuba can contribute is an opportunity for its people to have a democratically elected regime that respects the rights of its people by upholding the rule of law. the castro brothers are eventually going to die. but this policy is designed to prop up the younger men and women who stand i top the security apparatus and lived their lives in a luxury the rest of the cubans do not enjoy and want to continue being on the top of the pyramid repressing the rest of the country. the president wants them to have shard currency reserves that will allow them to stay on top. mind bollings comment how they are going to par is fate with us in counter terrorism. they have been terrorists. his community about development. they have used cuban doctors and put them in vital countries to prop up leftist regimes like those in nicaragua. to think we can find a common cause with the castro brothers and their successors is insane. jenna: it's great to have you on the program thank you very much. eric:

and cuba. and i think it will accelerate leaving the pass in the past and creating a very different kind of environment with ties between the two countries. which really have a lot of common interests which will now rise to the surface of the relationship. amy: can you tell us the history of the u.s. mission in cuba? i remember when i was in havana there were sort of major billboards that the u.s. mission had to face, that the cubans had put up. but the u.s. had done things with the u.s. mission that fidel castro wanted to cover with a series of flags? >> that was during the last bush administration or george bush decided he would stick it to the cubans by putting a tickertape on the top of the building of the was intersection that kind of -- the u.s. intersection, broadcast news like in times square, that was hostile to the cuban government. fidel castro's response was to erect 119 flagpoles and put 119 black flags, part type sign on the top, to mask the tickertape and make a statement of how

and the people of cuba. we are determined to live as good neighbors on the basis of mutual respect and we want all of our citizens in the u.s. and in cuba to look into the future, with hope. therefore, we celebrate this day. on july the 20th, because today we begin to repair what was damaged and to open what has been closed for many years. >> signify an end to differences that still separate our governments. but it does reflect that the reality that the cold war ended long ago. and that the interests of both countries are better served by engagement than by estrangements, and we have begun a most that will benefit the people in both cuba and the united states. this shared resolve to look ahead is what drove our conversation today and what has brought us to this moment. the foreign minister and i touched on a wide range of issues of mutual concern including cooperation on law enforcement, counternarcotics, telecommunications, the internet, environmental issues, human rights, including trafficking in persons a

el pueblo de cuba sea beneficiado. >>> es difÍcil de ver como el pueblo de cuba serÁ beneficiado la realidad el ejÉrcito, porque el ejÉrcito son los dueÑos de todas las compaÑÍas, de turismo. de temas agricultores. y lo demÁs. cuando uno comercia con esas compaÑÍas, estÁ comerciando con el general que es familia de raÚl castro. >>> senador esta misma familia m presidente obama anuncio un hecho histÓrico, un acuerdo con el gobierno de irÁn en cuanto a la situaciÓn de su programa nuclear. el presidente en conferencia de por encima del travesaÑo esta misma semana. dijo que no habÍa otra opciÓn que era o este tipo de arreglo o guerra. >>> usted ha podido ver el acuerdo. las 80 pÁginas. tiene opiniÓn sobre este acuerdo >>> bueno, primero que todo, decir que es el acuerdo o guerra es una opciÓn falsa. la realidad es que habÍan otras opciones. y es increÍble ver y no ha llegado a una conclusiÓn final. pero es increÍble ver, que todos los poderes del mundo, los estados unidos, rusia, china, inglaterra, francia, alemania, estÁn sentados en un lado de la mesa de negociaciÓn. irÁn teniendo las dificult

we have to engage the cuba.rstand, we have to know there is a new history that is being written at this particular moment. and there are going to be changes in the way we think about it. we are going to be -- they are going to do things their own way, and we know that from the past, you know. james has been talking about the issue of descendents after 40 years. i have been talking about it for about 20 years. the thing is, we have had to pull and push and pull and push and even though that full and push, we felt it was productive. you know, this gives us another opportunity to talk about the things that we talk about relating ferguson, relating black lives matter relating all that is happening here too young people. amy: that is actor/activist/director danny glover among more than 600 people at the cuban embassy and washington, d.c. that was yesterday, monday, july 20, 2015, the day the cuban embassy was opened and washington d.c. and the u.s. embassy was opened in havana cuba for the first time in 54 years. to

i live in cuba every day. my job was to come into contact with cuba, with people checking. tell me something. you were there in may. people in cuba a week ago - they are trying to say, that's the official statistics of the u.s. coast guard and border patrol. people reaching the united states, since december 17th has more than doubled, nearly tripled. why, because they are afraid of the cuban, that this will be eliminated. they cuban people don't buy the idea that things are getting better. if they believe that, they stay, right? >> most, as we well know, most of the people leaving cuba with smugglers are on their own in rickety vessels and risking their lives and are doing so because they are economic migrants. people picked up at sea, if ins interviews them and feel that any are persecuted, they take them to guantanamo bay, and resettle them in third countries. the thing that obama should do is he needs to end the wet foot policy. as long as that policy exists, cubans will be risky. cubans need... >> if someone is intercepted or found at sea, they get sent back. if they ma

amy: speaking of the cuban five, they are all now in cuba.re also, shall we say, seminal, your office, in the birth of the child of one of the cuban five. can you talk -- >> you need to explain that carefully. one reporter said, what about this cuban woman that you helped get pregnant? i said, what happened, the wife of onef them has come to my wife. talks gerardo. >> she's reaching an age where she might not have children anymore. she loved her husband. was her some way she could arrange for to become pregnant by her husband? we went to the bureau of prisons. we had -- we actually had times this have been done. cubans paid for it all. she was impregnated an animal. -- in panel mall. amy: where was her husband? >> in prison in panam and the united states. she was impregnated with his sperm and they have a beautiful little girl. they named her, the english word is "gem." it is amazing. i give my wife as much credit for that -- and eric holder worked for me in the bureau of prisons, to make it happen. amy: the embargo hasn't been lifted. >> kno

there are still people in jail in cuba, there is still no democracy in cuba, all of these things are major stumbling blocks for those who want progress in cuba. president obama says the only way the progress to take place are people traveling freely to cuba and influencing in that way. many politicians in this country won't budge on removing things like the embargo. >> and andy, let's remind the viewers that wheeze are now waiting for that news conference between the secretary of state john kerry and bruno rodriguez we see those pictures, state department they are due to address that news conference in a few minutes. we'll cross to it when they start speaking. andy, how much interest is there in miami right now for that be news conference, i know there were demonstrations but do you think this is something the whoafl miami feels or do you feel ultimately it is just the protesters against the normalization of relations? >> it's a great question. you know it's something i get asked often having lived in miami for ten years. really, life doesn't stop here in little havana, because there

and cuba? -- greater scientific cooperation between the u.s. and cuba? >> [speaking cuban] translator: scientific integration, i believe it will allow us to build proposals as generally happens with peers in the given fields of science. so that we believe it will have an impact on our on problem solving concerning our own population and in the cooperation we extend to other people and other nations in the world. >> what would you say is the most important benefit to the cuban people of normalization of relations? >> [speaking cuban] translator: in general, the issues along we could work, we have to wait to build the expected steps that will be taken. and then we will see, based on this concrete actions, once implemented, we can do that which is possible. >> what is your agenda here in washington for this visit? will you meet with congress or other u.s. officials? >> [speaking cuban] translator: indeed, our visit has been due to an invitation we have received from the director of the pan-american health organization. with the aim of granting cuba the cert

embassy cuba.y chief of mission to cuba just tweeted that he made the first home call from the united states embassy in havana. it did not exist in 1961. you can comment and give us your thoughts on facebook. go to facebook.com/c-span. tonight, the nigerian president delivers a keynote speech on his nation's relationship with the united states. this comes during dinner at the u.s. chamber of commerce in washington. with one of africa's's this growing economies and a booming oil industry, nigeria seeks better trading relationships with many trading partners including the u.s. but with many factors, including internal strife with military groups like boko haram, the event is expected to last about 45 minutes. we have that live at 8:15 eastern tonight right here on c-span. >> tonight on "the communicators" we will speak with the "wall street journal's" information journalists on why he thinks washington is a danger zone for information. >> if you go back to technologies like railroads and the ma belle

to partner with cuba. and through that engage we can help the cuban people improve their lives. one cuban american looked forward to opening lines of communications. another said you can't hold cuba cuban people hostage because of what happened in the past. americans and cubans alike are ready to move forward. i believe it's time for congress to do the same. i have called on congress to lift the embargo. we have seen members from both parties begin that work. why should washington stand in the way of our own people? yes, there are those that want to turn back the clock and double down on a policy of isolation. but it is long past time to show this policy doesn't work. it only makes life worse for the cuban people. so i would ask congress to listen to the cuban people listen to the american people listen to the words of a proud cuban american who recently came out against the policy of the past saying i wonder if the cubans who have to stand in line for the most basic necessities for hours in the hot havana

i was born and raised in cuba and i came to cuba -- i came from cuba in 1990. i don't even know one cuban, out of all the cubans and italians that i know in town, i don't even know one that agree with obama on this opening with cuba relationships or anything like that. what you are saying right now about equality, they will never be equality in cuba because the cuban people that lives in cuba, the cubans that live there, they do not gain nothing with this. they do not gain nothing. all of those people who you are saying right now in all the small ice cream places and pizza places, i have a friend to as a pizza place in cuba who went to school with me. he is a personal friend of mine. just last week, the government went to his place and took everything because he was buying when he needs for the restaurant , the government went in there because he stop buying from the government because he got caught buying it from somebody else. it is sort of like china. you have a private business but you need to do business with me to develop your business. the government in

-cuba relations. kerry will travel to cuba on august 14 to attend a ceremony to raise the american flag over the u.s. embassy in cuba. he will be the first u.s. secretary of state to visit since 1945. mr. kerry: good afternoon, everybody. i am pleased to welcome to the state department, my colleague bruno rodriguez, the foreign minister of cuba. i apologize for our being a little late, but we were downstairs. we had a lot to talk about, not just u.s.-cuba relations, and i think we had a very constructive conversation. this is the first visit to the department by a cuban foreign minister since 1958. today marks as well the resumption of normal diplomatic ties between our countries and the reopening of our embassies after a rupture that has lasted 54 years. so it is an historic day, a day for removing barriers. [speaking spanish] of course, this milestone does not signify an end to differences that still separate our governments. it does reflect the reality that the cold war ended long ago and in the in

-cuba relations normalizing, many say they see new opportunities for businesses in cuba.urando tago, nhk world. >>> in other news greek prime minister alexis tsipras has delivered a defiant address to his nation over the debt crisis. he said he will accept most of the bail-out creditors' conditions, but is still insisting on changes. he delivered a televised address on wednesday as members of the public struggled to cope with cash withdrawal limits. the greek government missed tuesday's deadline to repay 1.5 billion euros, about $1.7 billion, to the international monetary fund. tsipras said he will do his utmost to find middle ground. >> translator: the greek government remains at the negotiating table, and will stay there until the end. >> his proposals demand a partial revision to austerity measures presented by the eurozone nations. he earlier called for a referendum to be held sunday on weather to accept the eu plan and he's telling people to vote no to improve his negotiating position. >> translator: "no" means strong pressure for an economically viable agreement and

after talks with cuba at the u.s.epartment, secretary of state said he would be traveling to cuba in august. he broke into spanish. >> we are determined to live as good neighbors on the basis of mutual respect and we want all our citizens in the united states and cuba to look forward to the future with hope. >> reporter: those who have long studied this fraught relationship were reaching for superlatives. >> this is an historic moment because there has been a war between cuba and the united states for 56 years and in fact cuba won without giving up anything, really. and people who long said that fidel castro didn't want relations, they were wrong. he wanted this kind of relation. this recognized legitimacy of the cuban revolution. >> in fact monday was the day the u.s. ended its international diplomatic isolation on cuba. shihab rattanzi, be al jazeera washington. >> tom ackerman is outside the cieb ann embassy. what's happening now? >> as can you probably hear the embassy is serenaded by the supporters who are congra

cuba. >> basically the waters surrounding cuesu cuba are unexplored by humans. like an ocean time capsule and it's believed cuba was the home of the world's largest shark caught about 70 years ago, 21 feet. the name of that shark el el monstro. that really is! >> now a team of americans and cuban scientists -- >> watch out, john. >> -- brave the unknown. >> they will turn right on you. >> we need to move fast. >> get closer to the float! >> to see if cuba is a hotbed of monster sharks. >> the experts are going in all for the show qut sharks of"the sharks of cuba." we have the cinematographer and shark expert andy casagrande live via skype. tell us about the waters the scary waters of cuba. >> like you said it's like an ocean time capsule, and literally some of the biggest sharks in the world live there. one of the biggest great white sharks ever caught this one called el monstro caught off the north coast of cuba when we launched an expedition to find obviously not that shark but some of its offspring or any other large sharks in the area. the first time i got a

that may allow people to go to cuba quite freely. that is something the obama administration really wants to happen. it is a divisive issue in little havana. people are afraid to talk to us in case they hear different views. a lot of emotion very aggressive attitudes towards this approach but on the hole, people quite optimistic about what's happening and what the future might bring but also very much lots of caution here as to how many concessions the u.s. government gives cuba without ultimately getting something in return. >> okay andy gal gallagher, thank you very much indeed. >>> turkey's prime minister has suggested the islamic state of iraq and the levant may be responsible for an explosion in southern turkey that's killed at least 30 people. victoria gatenby reports. >> the explosion happened in the garden of a cultural center in the turkish town of suruc. they were due to travel to kobani to carry out relief work. it's not yet known what caused the blast. turkey's vice president said i.t. was a terrorist attack by a suicide

cuba wins here. the raising of the american flag in havana, but the united states wins in the long term in some respects. diplomats in cuba will be able to travel all across the island now. previous they were able to travel in the confines of havana. >> hold on one second. this is bruno rodriguez. let's listen in to what the foreign minister has to say. [ speaking spanish ] >> okay, clearly he's speaking in spanish. we think he'll translate himself in english. but while we're doing that, let's continue with those spots of how this may benefit the u.s. in the long term. >> first of all the bruno rodriguez talking about the change and different forces in the country and the united states that brought this moment to fruition, but going back to the point of how this will benefit the u.s. prior to this announcement on december 17th, and the manifestation there after diplomats were not able to travel outside of havana. now they will be to, and diplomats within what was previously the u.s. inter section had

and cuba stopped.bit at the history museum tells many stories. >> parents made the decision to get us out of there. >> video testimonials journalists and photographs. >> after the revolution everything changed. children were taken in. it took years for families to be reunited. and 20%. children never saw the parents again. >> i had a sense that it would be a long time before we went back to cuba >>> when we come back a major break as the deadline for the nuclear deal with iran inches ever closer. the latest from the meetings in vienna next. winnen's soccer -- women's soccer is growing, especially as the women's team looks set to win the world cup. compared to men, inequality still exists. >>> welcome back to al jazeera america in half an hour greeks will go to the poll and decide whether to accept a deal from creditors. the deal includes a lot of cuts made in greek's spending. the president and finance minister urging no votes. tunisia's president says the country is not safe against future attacks, an

and cuba. and cast away: thursday on "america tonight," correspond sheila macvicar on the people who gave up their home for america's nuclear ambitions. now, a new threat looms. thursday on "america tonight." >> i lived that character. >> go one on one with america's movers and shakers. >> we will be able to see change. >> gripping... inspiring... entertaining. no topic off limits. >> 'cause i'm like, "dad, there are hookers in this house". >> exclusive conversations you won't find anywhere else. >> these are very vivid, human stories. >> if you have an agenda with people, you sometimes don't see the truth. >> "talk to al jazeera". only on al jazeera america. is ♪ ♪ ♪ get excited for the 1989 world tour with exclusive behind the scenes footage all of taylor swift's music videos interviews, and more. xfinity is the destination for all things taylor swift. in his latest diplomatic leap towards cuba, the u.s. president announces his plans to reopen the embassy in cuba. tonight the remarkable back

not seeking changes in cuba which fall under the assumed , sovereignty of the department of cuba andans, but rather to attend to the best interest of the american citizens. the lifting of the blockade is essential for moving on stable as i -- stabilizing relations as well as the full respect of cuban sovereignty and the compensation to our people for human and economic damages. we reiterated our invitation to all u.s. citizens to exercise their right to travel to cuba as they do to the rest of the world and to take advantage of an equal footing of the opportunities offered by cuba. the secretary of state and i ratified our interest in normalizing bilateral relations knowing this will be a long and complex process. i reiterated to the secretary of state the cuban government's willing to move on in the process toward normalizations with relations on the basis of respect and sovereign equality and without any interference in our internal affairs. it is true there are profound differences between the governments of cuba and the united states with regards to our views about the exercise o

and cuba. most notably that u.s. trade embargo. >> and gabe interesting that here in washington, d.c. at the state department 4:30 in the morning, they raise the cuban flag. in about an hour they're raising the cuban flag in washington, d.c. but even though today, that building that is behind you becomes the u.s. embassy in cuba, no such ceremony until a future date when the secretary of state can go to havana and do something, right? >> yeah. they erected a flag pole at this building, but right now, no flag flying there. it's because the u.s. flag will not be flying here at this building at the u.s. embassy until john kerry visits havana. we expect that to be later this summer. you're right, even though this is a u.s. embassy, there is no law that says there has to be a u.s. flag flying here. right now, while there's all this fanfare in washington, here in havana no flag yet. >> gabe thank you very much for being with me. i want to bring in republican congressman mark sanford of south carolina

en los estados unidos. >>> viva cuba viva fidel!.ano para ser testigo de la historia. >>> mÁs de 15 aÑos he oro do orado y dios repone de. >>> josÉ marÍa paya es residente. >>> lo que vemos es el diÁlogo de las personas que estÁn entrando son representantes de la elite de poder en cuba que nadie por cierto ha elegido. >>> aunque fue pacÍfico hubo un detenido. >>> por el pacto a dwrerpgresivo que hizo el presidente obama. >>> la tinta roja dice representa la sangre de los cubanos asesinatosdoasesinados por el rÉgimen. >> el momento tan cargado de historia ha traÍdo a flor de fiel emociones guardadas en ambos lados de la moneda. >>> se empieza que ver que las relaciones entre ambos paÍses se estÁn regula cuando que es lo que estamos esperando por aÑos. 4. me parece que es mucha esperanza y que los quiero a todos. >>> ¿cuÁnto le pagan seÑora? >>> la administraciÓn de los estados unidos no ha conseguido un solo cambio que favorece al pueblo cubano siguen ap lean do a las damas de blanco represiÓn en cuba. 4. exigen respeto a los derechos

y funcionÓ para aislar a estados unidos y no a cuba.hay republicanos en el congreso opuestos al acercamiento. >> no vamos a darle ni un centavo para la nueva embajada. ellos estÁn pidiendo millones de dÓlares. >> para algunos el discurso dejÓ quÉ desear. >> que el presidente dijo casi nada de cuba. del sufrimiento de los cubanos, del derecho de los cubanos a expresarse, de las golpizas que reciben las damas de blanco los domingos. >> otros ven las nuevas oportunidades. >> eso nos da mÁs herramientas no sÓlo para avanzar los intereeses de estados unidos pero tambiÉn los intereeses del pueblo cubano. >> culminan meses de negociaciones despuÉs del anuncio del presidente barack obama. tambiÉn instÓ al congreso como prÓximo paso a levantar al embargo hacia cuba, pieza clave de la polÍtica de washington hacia la isla. en esto encontrarÁ oposiciÓn de lÍderes republicanos y de congresistas cubano americanos. en la casa blanca, univisiÓn. >> las reacciones fueron mixtas. los comentarios positivos hablan de esperanza en que el nuevo acercamiento

and cuba remains on the embargo? i heard beb ben roasdz, roasdz, the rhodes, is it not time after a half century of policies that have not worked in opening up cuba? >> i think you have to look at, you know, we basically said we are going to try a new policy but remember the policy that we are trying is one that every government in the united states has been engaged with, when they announced what they were doing it was the same thing we are saying that we think it's going to lead to changes in cuba. unfortunately, there are some countries that it takes two to tango and if they don't want to tango, we're not going to dance. unless we have some american exceptionalism or something unique about us, i call it democratic pixie dust, dust, it's unlikely that they'll change their system. they want our money. they basically want loan guarantees from us because they don't have the money they need to keep the economic system to thering along. >> coral gables mayor, thank you for joining us. >>> the united nations raises a conc

tried to taint cuba from the outside. it is a creative way to change cuba from the inside. thank you. i can say that this track that the diplomatic relations are being reestablished and we are opening embassies to show the mutual willingness to move on to wards the normalization of bilateral relations. >> on december last we heard the president of the united states of obama recognizing that that the u.s. posts against cuba had moved on. this caused isolation to the u.s.. this is not a minor thing. today, we have opened an embassy. the country recognizes a sovereign country. this is a small and neighboring island. we have reestablished diplomatic relations and the opening of embassies is appreciated by my country as the progress towards a civilized relationship. if we are able to solve the problems for more than one century. and we are able to create a new type of relationship between the u.s. and cuba, different from what has existed in history. in fact, we feel that the recognition to lift the act against cuba through the talks we have had, including this morning's talks.

and cuba culminated in breaking off ties in 1961. restrictions to travel to cuba will remain in place as will a trade embargo which will prevent most companies from doing business there. we'll have live reaction from havana but we're going to tom ackerman at the state department in washington, d.c. tom we're hoping to hear from secretary of state john kerry and gunnar rodriguez. what are we expecting to hear from them? >> the two leaders have been meeting here at the state department, and they will be appearing in a joint news conference the first between two top leaders of the cuba and the united states, in more than half a century. and what is sure to be epeted on cuban radio and television today will be the remarks of secretary kerry in his joint appearance with foreign minister, he will be speaking uncharacteristically in spanish and saying to the people we celebrate this day as a time to start are repairing what has been broken and omg what forand poppingwhat for too long has been closed. both leaders are emphasizing in their re

and cuba. today president obama achieved what would have better than been unthinkable a few years ago. what was historic. we'll get to that in a moment but first mike viqueria is at the white house. mike. >> john good evening. this president obama says, opens a new chapter in u.s. cuban relations. it's more than just symbolism president obama says. announcing the end of 54 years of animosity and an historic opening to cuba. >> the progress we mark today is yet another demonstration that we don't are to be imprisoned by the past. when something isn't working we can and will change. >> in havana, a top official delivered a letter, in turn, castro wrote back, respectful and cooperative relations between our two people and governments. unscripted december 2013 meeting between the two officials, at the death of nelson mandela. then another freeing moment. the freeing of allen gross, and then in return, mr. obama freed the last three members of the cuban 5. suddenly the time was right for change. in

of human rights in cuba. and that's been a sticking point for u.s. and cuba the last several months in terms of opening these embassies, the u.s. wants to be assured that their diplomats down in havana will be able to visit with cuban dissidents in that country. unclear whether or not the white house has gotten those assurances. but this has been a policy priority for the president. and we'll see this play out here in just a few moments at the white house. he has achieved one of the items as he's put it recently on his bucket list, his foreign policy bucket list. we'll see that in a few moments. >> as we await the president, the secretary of state john kerry will probably go to havana for the formal opening of the u.s. embassy there. and no secret that president obama would like to visit havana at some point before he leaves office. let's go to havana. patrick oppmann joins us. how's it playing out over there? >> reporter: ever since december, cubans have been wondering when an american flag will fly over the

y el departamento de estado ya se instalÓ la bandera de cuba.bano bruno rodrÍguez. carrie: estamos decididos a vivir como buenos vecinos sobre la base de respeto mutuo. >> queremos agregÓ " que el futuro miren el futuro con esperanza". embajador: hemos insistido en que levantamiento total del bloqueo es esencial para avanzar hacia la normalizaciÓn de las relaciones bilaterales, asÍ como tambiÉn del territorio ocupado ilegalmente en guantÁnamo. >> agregÓ que se deberÁ respetar la soberanÍa cubana, y compensarlos por daÑos econÓmicos. una delegaciÓn de unas 30 personas, viajÓ desde cuba para la recepciÓn oficial y tambiÉn invitaron a cientos de cubano americanos. >> han pasado 54 aÑos, no han pasado nada, le pedimos a los congresistas que abran sus brazos, su corazÓn. >> un nuevo capÍtulo, a lo que hemos trabajado por muchos aÑos. >> tambiÉn hubo opositores, uno fue detenido despuÉs de baÑarse en pintura roja. la casa blanca siempre apoyÓ la libertad de cuba. >> hasta ahora que el seÑor se abraza a raÚl castro y le da la espalda a las vÍctimas. >>

and cuba. sometimes. if you are referring to an under cover agent yes i was. >> also ahead, home grown hate and the early warning from the expert who saw a pattern of trouble brewing. >> it is a pattern of things happening at the same time, that led to the pattern of extreme is. extremists. >> we begin with the massacre at mother emmanuel. and home grown hate. those who track those evil doers, white supremacists, like the klan or aryan nation, some move or strike alone. to understand any of them takes careful observation. "america tonight's" lori jane gliha . >> what is this? >> this is a klan passport for the invisible empire. klan members would use these passports. >> spent more than a decade developing an uncomfortable collection of artifacts. piece of history that symbolize hate. >> this was an area that was -- >> demolished in 2008 after a lawsuit. >> johnson once served as a lead analyst on domestic terrorist for the dmoamsdz. department of homeland security. >> what you are looking at he

en cuba--en cuba se trabaja-- fue como la Última casi escuela que se hizo, reuniÓ todo eso.hay otras-- >> ¿tÚ eres muy alto para ser bailarÍn, o no? >> no. >> ¿en tu caso? >> no. >> tampoco, tÚ tampoco. >> o sea, en cuba sÍ. en cuba sÍ era muy alta, porque en cuba hay veces que no podÍa bailar porque: "no, es que eres muy alta". >> si yo hablo con ustedes en diez aÑos, ¿dÓnde van a estar? >> ay, una gran compaÑÍa bailando. >> ¿cuando ves una gran compaÑÍa en nueva york? >> sÍ, nueva york, donde hayan oportunidades, oportunidades de crecer artÍsticamente, econÓmicamente, de ser alguien. >> donde me sienta bien. >> entonces, ¿se puede decir que cuba ha hecho muchas cosas mal, pero con la compaÑÍa de ballet lo hizo bien? >> sÍ. el ballet en cuba se desarrollÓ muy bien para ser una isla tan pequeÑa. >> sobre todo el arte en general en cuba se desarrollÓ muy bien. >> pero te pones a pensar y todo el mundo, y los mejores deportistas, los mejores bailarines, los mejores mÚsicos, los mejores actores, todos, todos se van de cuba porque ahÍ no se sienten con la libertad de poder alcan

embargo on cuba. with these offices opening does that in any way lead the way in this embargo eventually being lifted? >> eventually, yes but there are some requirements, and one u.s. law says that there can't be a castro in the cuban government. well raul castro has announced that he's retiring in 2018, so there are going to be some steps taken. i think everyone can expect that unless there's a problem in the relationship during the next year or so of president obama's presidency, that he's going to continue to open the doors. it's interesting to note that if he wanted to today the president could allow marriott to manage a hotel in cuba but he's decided not to. i think right now when secretary kerry meets with the foreign minister, one of the discussions is going to be president obama has laid out a lot of initiatives. the cuban government hasn't basically responded to any of them. we need you to respond. we need some of this stuff to take place in order for there to be more of a ground swell to mov

there are americans that want to travel to cuba, businesses that want to invest in cuba, colleges and universities that want to partner with cuba. above all, americans want to get to know their neighbors to the south and through that engagement we can out the cuban people improve their own lives. american look forward to opening lines of communications. another put it bluntly -- you cannot hold cuba hostage to what happened in the past and this is what this is about, a choice between the future and the past. americans and cubans alike are ready to move forward. i believe it is time for congress to do the same. i have called on congress to take steps to lift the embargo. we have seen members from both parties in that work. after all, why should washington stand in the way of our own people? yes, there are those that want to turn back the clock and doubled down on the policy of isolation, but it is long past time for us to realize this approach does not work. it has not worked for 50 years. it shuts america out of cuba's future and only makes life worse for the cuban people. congress to

leaders are heading to cuba like never before. >>reporter: it's still called the hershey train, the train that goes to and from the town named in 1916 after its founder, the american chocolate magnate, milton hershey. he built the town for his workers and built a sugar refinery. >> this man remembers as a child he only spoke english. his family had come to hershey from jamaica to put cane when sugar was king. >> now it's all over. there is no more sugar production. they closed the refinery and when they did that the town was finished. >>reporter: hershey is indeed a shadow of its former self. the refinery once cuba's largest, is now being dismantled. but all that could change with the imminent renewal of diplomatic ties between cuba and washington and cuba is suddenly a magnet for visiting foreign dignitaries and foreign investors interested in possibly making all this come back to life. ♪♪ >>reporter: in the last month, it's been a nonstop pilgrimage from the french president and the head of the russian parliament to european and