After more than 50 years of cold war the US and Cuba are warming up and agreed to have relations.... The diplomatic kind.
US is going to lift restrictions on banking and travel. Those restrictions date all the way back to when Fidel Castro took power in Cuba during the Cold War. Obama used executive authority to dial back restrictions, but it’s still up to Congress to give the OK to lift the whole embargo.
From now on, family members, journalists, and US officials will be allowed to come and go to Cuba. US travelers can now bring home up to $100 worth of tobacco. So now you can light up a Cuban without breaking the law.
President Obama and Raul Castro, who is Fidel’s little brother have the same pen pal. His name is Pope Francis, who's receiving some of the credit for getting US and Cuba together. The Pope hosted a meet-and-greet for US and Cuban delegates at The Vatican.
While some are giving Obama a respectful pat on the back, others are saying this is just appeasing a dictatorship. Also, Obama made this move using executive authority, which is always a way to make Congress crazy, as if they need a reason to go crazy. This December surprise comes as Obama leaves DC for Hawaii, but not yet Habana.