Dramatic, the thaw in ties with the Castro regime has been in the works for months. Now, Washington is moving to normalise relations with Havana.

Obama has yet to obtain consent from Congress before completely lifting sanctions against Washington's longtime enemy.

But what's behind this sudden shift? And why now?

Presenter: Martine Dennis

Guests -

Hugh O'Shaughnessy: Latin America Correspondent for The Observer.

Fransisco co Dominguez: lecturer at Middlesex University

Xavier Cortada: Cuban-American artist