In 1977, the US and Cuba agreed to open “Interests Sections” in each others’ capitols. Only smart thing Jimmah Carter ever did. The US is in Havana under the aegis of the Swiss and the Cubans in DC under the aegis of the Czech Republic (used to be Czechoslovakia before 1991). They’re embassies in everything but name. Each mission is headed by a Principal Officer, not an Ambassador. When I left in 1997, there were about 40 American civilians and eight or nine U S Marine Security Guards. We got along famously with the Cubans on the streets. With the Official Cubans: not so much.
Carter 1, Soetoro 0.
When you got the opportunity to mingle with the regular people, did you get a sense that they were aware that Cuba was led by a mass murdering schmuck? Did you sense any anti-American sentiment? How were the cigars?