Normalization of Relations with Cuba

Definition

This refers to the process initiated by President Obama in 2014 to restore diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba after more than five decades of tension following Fidel Castro's rise to power.

Analogy

Imagine two neighbors who had a big fight years ago over something serious. They stopped talking to each other completely. But then one day, one neighbor decides it's time to bury the hatchet. He walks over with an olive branch - maybe even literally - signaling he wants peace. That's what normalization is like; it's extending that olive branch after years of silence.

Related terms

Embargo: A government order that restricts commerce or exchange with a specified country usually due to political or security reasons.

Bay of Pigs Invasion: A failed military invasion of Cuba in 1961 by a CIA-sponsored paramilitary group, which aimed to overthrow Fidel Castro's government.

Cold War: The period of political and military tension between Western powers led by the United States and Eastern Bloc led by the Soviet Union from 1947-1991.