Brazil praises US and Cuba's decision to reopen embassies

The Ministry of Foreign Relations announced today (Jul 1) that the Brazilian government “was glad to hear” that diplomatic ties between the US and Cuba are to be restored and their embassies reopened for mutual communication on July 20.

Presidents Barack Obama and Raúl Castro unveiled the decision on Wednesday.

“This is an important step in the process of normalizing relations between two countries with which Brazil maintains traditional and profound ties of friendship and cooperation,” the ministry said in a note.

“The Brazilian government congratulates the governments of Cuba and the United States on opting for dialogue and on this historic decision, which represents the suppression of anachronistic animosities, and brings about potentially positive effects for all of the American continent,” the note adds.

Late in May, Washington lifted the main barrier to the reestablishment of diplomatic relations by crossing Cuba off its list of countries supporting terrorism.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira