A year has passed since one of the most symbolic moments in the long and tangled history between the United States and Cuba: the official reopening of the long-shuttered US embassy in Havana.
On a stiflingly hot August morning, the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, presided over the flag-raising ceremony and the speeches laden with pomp, emotion and bold statements of intent to move on from the hostilities of the past.
Since that day, a lot has happened between the former Cold War foes. Direct flights are due to begin this month, travel restrictions have been eased for US citizens and bilateral cooperation increased in science and the arts.
Plus of course, there was a historic visit by President Obama.
"I have come here to extend the hand of friendship to the Cuban people," he told the nation in a televised address.
But while many Cubans would happily accept another four years of Mr Obama, a new administration in Washington is coming. And the outcome could have a significant impact on the new spirit of cordiality between the two countries.
"Obviously the big problem in US-Cuban relations is the embargo. That is the elephant in the room," says Carlos Azugaray, a former Cuban diplomat.
He says the key to the next phase of United States' normalisation with Cuba has to be the lifting of the decades-long economic embargo on the island: "The elephant has already started to leave the room, you already have the trunk out!
"We can see that with the recent opening of a Sheraton hotel in Havana, with the decision that some US credit cards can be used in Cuba, that travel restrictions have been eased."
If the Democratic Party regains control of Congress, he argues, they are "bound to do something about the embargo".
But most attention is on the race for the White House. So how would a Clinton or a Trump presidency affect the rapprochement with Cuba?
"I understand the scepticism in this community about any policy of engagement towards Cuba," Hillary Clinton recently told an audience in Miami.
"I've been sceptical too. But we can't wait any longer for a failed policy to bear fruit. We have to seize this moment."
The embargo on Cuba is obsolete she told them and needs to go "once and for all".
Whereas previously those sentiments might have spelt the end of a presidential candidate's hopes in Florida, in this election they were greeted with applause - admittedly among a select audience - in Miami.
However in Cuba, where people have long called for the embargo to be lifted and where the benefits of such a change in policy would actually be felt, many ordinary Cubans don't entirely trust Mrs Clinton.
Part from:http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-37059700
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