Historic meeting between Obama and Castro in Summit of the Americas

10 seconds for History. Barack Obama and Raul Castro shook hands and exchanged a few words, presumably courtesy. Joining them was the president of Colombia, Manuel Santos. He had no relevance. There were no other official version more than the Council spokesman Homeland Security, Bernadette Meehan: "At the summit of the Americas, tonight, President Obama and President Castro greeted and shook hands got" . A video distributed by the White House confirmed the meeting. An unnamed White House spokesman merely stated that it was something casual, without any substantial conversation. Apparently, took place before the opening session of the summit, which began with an hour and a half late. Indeed, at the opening ceremony it was clear what has insisted again and again the White House: the road to the normalization of relations will be long. When the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon said that "the presence here of President Raul Castro is an old aspiration of the region", most of the heads of state and government of the 35 countries present applauded. With some exceptions. Among them, Barack Obama. For now, that was it. There is no evidence that Obama and Castro have spoken more. At the gala dinner of four courses (plus dessert) that the 35 presidents held in the old town of Panama, Obama sat next to the host, Juan Carlos Varela. We do not know where to put Castro, who had not attended any of the six 'peaks' of previous Americas. Today, presumably, both will have occasion to "interact" in the second and final day of the meeting. It is unclear whether it will be in the morning or afternoon. Ultimately, the White House could argue that the "interaction" has already occurred today, although that would be an undeniable disappointment.

• 2015-04-12T15:04:54+00:00
• Duration: 02:45

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