Raul castro, the president of cuba will also give a News Conference in his country that will happen at noon eastern time. Of course cnn will continue to follow this breaking news throughout the day. Thank you for joining me today, im carol kos toll low. this hour with berman and michaela starts now. Hello, everyone. Im john berman. And. And im michaela pereira. History is being made at this hour after more than a half century of tension and diplomat diplomatic silence between the u. S. Its releasing alan gross from prison after five years. A series of genuinely breathtaking developments. Cuba is also releasing a u. S. Intelligence asset, a spy, whos been locked up in cuba for more than 20 years. In Return Washington is freeing three cuban spies convicted in 2001 of espionage. That is big in and of itself. It all seems part now of something much, much bigger. President obama will announce major changes in u. S. Policy toward cuba. Officials calling them the most sweeping changes since the embargo began more than 50 years ago. Cuban president raul castro is planning a similar announcement next hour on cuban tv. The big question at this hour, does this foreshadow a return to normal relations with the island nation, a country that has been a thorn in washingtons side since fidel castro took power back in 1959. Cnn is covering this from all angles. We should mention were the only u. S. Network on the ground in cuba. Patrick oppman is in havana. Michelle kosinski joins us from the white house. And justice Reporter Evan Perez and Global Affairs correspondent elise in
washington. Elise, i want to begin with you because you have the details of this series of remarkable developments here and at the top of that list well have an embassy. The white house wants to open up an embassy in havana. Thats right, john, and the u. S. And cuba having these talks for some time. Not only about alan gross and the cuban five and u. S. Intelligence asset but how the u. S. And cuba can normalize relations. Youve seen talks with u. S. And cuban officials over the last years and the u. S. Sees reform on the island. So the u. S. Will be opening up an embassy in havana. Right now theres an intrasection. The u. S. Will also see about getting cuba off the state sponsor of Terrorism List which has really been a thorn in cubas side because it was more of a political move. Cuba hasnt been seen as having any Terrorist Activity for
years. President obama set to announce with these wide ranging initiatives, really everything he can do outside of the existing legislation. So were talking about a relaxing of Travel Restrictions for americans that means a general license to travel practically anything of terrorism, a resumption of banking between the u. S. And cuban banks, americans k use credit cards on the island. The president also going to announce expanded commercial and export of sales and goods to cuba. And Officials Say this is not a reward to the cuban regime, the regime of the castros but more an acknowledgement that the embargo is not working and that if the u. S. Wants to encourage further reforms on the island it needs to engage more with the cuban government and people. They say they will not let up on human rights and actually as part of this deal cuba has
agreed to release some 53 Political Prisoners from a list provided by by the United States, allow more access to the internet for cuban people and allow more access to Political Prisoners by the international crossexamination and United Nationss so as we said for a president that said he wanted to come to office to engage cuba many years ago, thats happened in fits and starts, certainly alan gross has been an impediment to that this will be a Landmark Deal for President Obama that will shape his Foreign Policy. So many pieces and parts to this. Elise labott, thank you so much. Not only will our president be speaking about this announcement today around noon, cuban president raul castro is expected to make an announcement on the relations with the United States. Thats expected to be at noon as well on cuban tv but is this the beginning of some mending between cuban u. S. Relations. We just learned that president himself spoke with the cuban lead era wul castro yesterday to finalize this
arrangement is is coming into playwright now. We want to go live to Patrick Oppman in havana, cnn is the only u. S. Network with presence in cuba. Patrick, a wul castro, the president , the leader of cuba is expected to speak in just a little while. What is he expected to say . Well probably hear more details about this historic agreement came through. Just came through in the last 24 hours. I understand from a pr company that works for alan grosss attorney, some of the ticktock of what happened here. Alan gross was only in formed yesterday that he would be freed and im told that he didnt know what to respond. There was just stunned silence when his Attorney Scott Gilbert called him on the line to tell him he would be leaving cuban prison after five years. Then this morning a u. S. Government plane arrived here at a Military Base in cuba to pick up alan gross. On board is his wife judy, hisAttorney Scott Gilbert and as well three u. S. Congressman senator jeff flake from arizona, Patrick Leahy from vermont and Congressman Van Holland from alan grosss Home District in maryland. These are three congressmen who have been very much involved in winning his release. Then they take off after 8 00 a. M. And were told at 8 45, the pilot gets on the intercom to tell alan gross that they are now out of cuban airspace. Alan gross stands up and is im told unable to talk hes so overwhelmed by emotion then he calls his daughters and his first words to his daughters are im free. You can only imagine their reaction at this long nightmare concluded for their father. Where do u. S. Cuban relations go next. Im joined by a long time diplomat here in havana. They restored Semi Relations and you are the chief of the u. S. Intersection, what do you think
looking at the future of the relations between these two countries . I would con garage late this administration. This was the right thing to do at this critical moment. Why critical . Because the torture report had just come out damaging the image of the United States. Now were going into the hemispheric sum midin april. The United States is the only country now that does not have full diplomatic relations with cuba. Time to change that. One of the marks, i think, in the hemisphere against the United States is its outdated cuban policy. So we are now moving, the administration is indicating we will move to change our cuba policy to engage with cuba. Thats exactly right thing to do. Thank you so much. This policy obviously will affect thousands of peoples
lives as u. S. And cuba who move closer together. Of course its obviously have a major impact on the life of alan gross returning to the United States and the lives of three cuban intelligence agents who are also flying back to the United States. Alan gross were told will land at Andrews Air Force base at 11 30 a. M. This morning, will have some words to the media and then will go back to being with his family trying to get his health better. Im sure thats causing such a good sigh of relief from every Family Member knowing hes on his way. Thanks so much patrick. We appreciate it. I want to turn to somebody on the phone from madrid tud, spain, former governor Bill Richardson is on the phone with us. Your reaction to the news that this deal is being made for the return of an american to
american soil but also about the potential for new relations with cuba. Well, this is very personal for me because in 2011 i went to cuba to try to get Alan Gross Out and i was unable to. They wanted the five cuban Political Prisoners, the five spies in the u. S. And the u. S. Neither country was ready to do it. So this is huge. Alan gross was the impediment for the u. S. cuba Relationship Improving. So now that that has been cleared away i think President Obama is looking at his legacy and saying in lat tip america getting rid of this irritant of the u. S. Cuba relationship where were not dialoguing or speaking is going to happen and its going to result in the resumption of diplomatic relations. It wont do much with the trade
embargo because congress has to improve softening of the Trade Embargo. This was the helmsburton act several years ago that basically said the president doesnt have the Executive Authority to do this without going to the congress. But this is huge. This is the legacy stuff for President Obama and my hope is that we zero in on this is good but cuba needs to improve its human rights position, needs to release Political Prisoners, allow the internet in, allow more freedoms there. Hopefully this is going to happen with this release, but this was the linchpin, the release of alan gross for the u. S. Thats the news we were hoping to get so the relationship with cuba would improve. You brought up congress here and, governor, youve had just about every job imaginable, both political and diplomatic so you know the complications here. People say it doesnt seem likely, the congress itself will lift the embargo. There are democrats who oppose this move today. The chairman of the Senate Foreign relations committee, bob menend menendez, put out a statement that said President Obamas actions have vindicate it had brutal behavior of the cuban government. Whats your reaction to that . Theres going to be opposition in the congress. I dont think theres any Tway Congress will relax the embargo in any way so what the president is doing is taking Executive Action that he can take on his own. Like opening up an embassy in cuba. He can do that i think the exchange of ambassadors is very big and i think senator menendez and a lot of Cuban Americans rightfully are saying, hey, you know, lets make sure that there are significant human rights improvements not just in the treatment of Political Prisonersbut tourism, transit of cuban American Families between havana and the United States. That has improved but for the American People if they open up travel to cuba youre going to see a Real Travel Tourism Bonanza because a lot of americans want to go to cuba. I think youll see a lot of cubans wanting to come to the u. S. So i think this is a very good legacy Foreign Policy initiative for President Obama. It would be interesting to be among Cuban Americans right now. The old generation, the newer generation. While we still have you, one of the things we have from u. S. Officials are trying to stress that this move was not to in any way seem as though it was propping up the Castro Regime but if we want change in cuba we have to try a different approach. Im curious what your thoughts are there. Well i agree. The cuban Trade Embargo is not
working. It didnt improve relations and the cubans were using it to solidify their own leadership. It was also major American Relations with the u. S. So this is a good Foreign Policy move also. The cubans wanted to get off the Terrorism List, that didnt make sense because they were cooperating with us on Homeland Security issues. But i think on a lot of other matters like environmental issues, coastal issues relating to protection of Climate Change and the seas, it opens up enormous areas, potential areas of cooperation. I think again the congress isnt going to take much action. I think the administration should open it with senator menendez, with senator rubio, with the Cuban Americans that have really stood up for human
rights issues and see if theres a way that there can be a dialogue on americans deciding and being key players in how the relationship with cuba improves because theyre patriotic americans and im for this move and for this Relationship Improving but its going to cause a lot of anxious in the Cuban American Community in miami and new jersey where senator menendez is from. This is a time to reach a dialogue and have a discussion about what human rights initiatives, what openness of privatization of the cuban economy. But this is good and i hope President Obama and president castro have a chance to meet in panama in april and maybe this can be expanded, the improvement
in the relationship. All right, governor Bill Richardson, former ambassador, former secretary, thank you so much for being with us to provide your vast insight to Whats Going On here, this momentous day. President barack obama in less than an hour set to deliver a statement on u. S. Relations with cuba. A sea change, really, in u. S. Relations with cuba. Hell deliver that from the cabinet room. Lets go to the white house now. Michelle kosinski 1 there. Do do you have a sense of what the president will say and any sense at all of why now . This is momentous. You used that word. The fact that this will open things after such a long period of time. The fact that the white house is calling this the beginning of full diplomatic relations with cuba. A debate. Anyone who spent time in miami and has been a part of that Community Knows that this is a debate to that goes on everyday. Something will come up in the news and people will debate whether the current policy is
working and castro needs to be punished versus its not working and something more needs to be done, a modernization of regulation relations. Thats the tack the white house is taking here. So we havent heard from the president yet but we heard a Background Grieving from seen your white house officials who laid out the entire scope of this. They say the focus is very much still on Human Rights And Democracy but the past policy wasnt doing it. They feel like this will be a more efficient way to press those needs in cuba. Its shocking. The fact that cuba just convicted an sentenced alan gross to 15 years in prison for fomenting dissent, in 2011 and now today were seeing this sea change as you called it. I was going ask you very quickly in terms of what were expecting in terms of backlash, because we know the last time we
saw a prisoner was lease was suggest bergdahl being released and the white house faced criticism for that. This is not just a prisoner release, theres a humanitarian release, theres also a change, a call for change in policy in a long standing 50 year battle, if you will, or at least a freezeout there will be backlash. Its fascinating. Were hearing from members of congress, some Cuban Americans. Were hearing from people within the State Department who said they felt shut out of these negotiations that started last spring. The question is why werent they involved more . So the white house did answer that question in this Background Briefing saying the focus for now is not on what congress can do in the future. Although they would Like Congress to take action. Possibly lifting the embargo fully ultimately but they said for now the focus is on what the president can do and this is something hes wanted to do for a long time. And kriept some bipartisan support, the fact that there are members of congress on a plane with alan gross, one a republican, that doesnt seem like much in the grand scope of things but thats what the white house is citing as an example of some bipartisan support its interesting to see what this will do because when you talk about the backlash, what is expected with cuba in this. They just convicted an sentenced alan gross, how are things going to change so much on their end to satisfy the United States righ