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New Relationship With U.S. Promises Big Changes For Cubans

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A man waves the U.S. and Cuban flags as he walks in front of the new Cuban Embassy shortly before its official ceremonial opening July 20, 2015, in Washington, D.C. (Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images)
A man waves the U.S. and Cuban flags as he walks in front of the new Cuban Embassy shortly before its official ceremonial opening July 20, 2015, in Washington, D.C. (Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images)

As the United States and Cuba slowly resume diplomatic relations, one of the biggest question marks has been what effect these changes will have on the people of Cuba.

The reopening of the barriers between the two countries offers new opportunities for improvement in the quality of life for Cubans, promising major growth in Cuban tourism and more freedom for the transfer of remittances - money sent from the U.S. that goes directly to people in Cuba.

However, these potential improvements are not without risk. Here & Now's Meghna Chakrabarti speaks with Henry Louis Taylor Jr., a professor and director of the Center for Urban Studies at SUNY Buffalo in New York, who has visited Cuba every year since 1999 to interview Cuban citizens about life in the country.

He warns that while there are major positives to the deal, it has its negatives as well.

Guest

  • Henry Louis Taylor, Director of the Center for Urban Studies at SUNY Buffalo.

This segment aired on July 24, 2015.

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