In Cuba, time goes by slowly. Raul Castro proudly declares he moves without rush. Cubans have been waiting 57 years, so in three month nothing usually happens apart from queues, boring meetings, soap operas, propaganda, spinning out the ridiculous salaries and pensions, and selling in the black market. But the three months elapsed since Obama’s almost three-days’ visit have run full of unusual events. His respectful and near tone, life on TV, elaborating on democracy and Cubans’ capabilities to devise their future revealed a new perception of a president and opportunities, in contrast to Raul Castro’s worn out aggressive speech while tolerating the challenging ideas expressed by the enemy. The impact on the population has neutralized the political battle waged under the flag of a revolution, whose permanent failure diminishes life quality and hopes.

It’s not only about trade and investments. In fact, the turn in United States’ Cuban approach was about fulfilling the same goals by other means: the people-to-people policy. When Raul Castro accepted Obama’s terms leading to D17-2014, he was impelled by the need of an auspicious environment for huge investments, writing of the unpaid international debts since 1986 and increasing tourism to cope with the economic crisis, known as the Special Period, commenced in the early 1990s. Venezuela’s petrodollars were declining and at stake in the short run. He had to face the challenge of opening the entrenched archipelago to the world, especially to Fidel Castro’s most feared influence: the United States.