The Cuban Revolution led to the deterioration of relations between the two countries, and diplomatic ties were broken on January 3, 1961, after the Eisenhower administration rejected a demand from Fidel Castro to reduce the number of US embassy personnel in Havana. However, since December 2014, relations have improved greatly, and on July 20, 2015, Cuba and the United States re-opened diplomatic relations, upgrading their "interest sections" to embassies. In December 2014, US President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro announced the start of the process to normalize diplomatic relations between the two countries, following 18 months of secret negotiations in Canada and Vatican City. Although relations have greatly improved since then, the United States still holds a trade embargo against Cuba, making it illegal for American companies to do business in Cuba. However, Barack Obama has called for an end to the embargo, saying that it failed to get Cuba to abandon one-party rule.
The Cuban Revolution led to the deterioration of relations between the two countries, and diplomatic ties were broken on January 3, 1961, after the Eisenhower administration rejected a demand from Fidel Castro to reduce the number of US embassy personnel in Havana. However, s,ince December 2014 relations have improved greatly, and on July 20, 2015, Cuba and the United States re-opened diplomatic relations, upgrading their "interest sections" to embassies. In December 2014, US President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro announced the start of the process to normalize diplomatic relations between the two countries, following 18 months of secret negotiations in Canada and Vatican City. Although relations have greatly improved since then, the United States still holds a trade embargo against Cuba, making it illegal for American companies to do business in Cuba. However, Barack Obama has called for an end to the embargo, saying that it failed to get Cuba to abandon one-party rule.