The caribbean. Amy in a historic move, cuba and the United States restore diplomatic relations and reopen embassies shut for over five decades. We will hear from Ricardo Alarcon, the former head of the cuban parliament, as well as senator Patrick LeahyCongress MembersRaul Grijalava and barbara lee and others who , attended the reopening of the Cuban Embassy in washington. Then the historic trial of former dictator Hissene Habre begin monday but has been postponed for 45 days. We will speak with reed brody of Human Rights Watch. This is the first time anywhere in the world the courts in one country senegal are trying the former leader of another, chad, for human rights abuses. The first time the African Union has established a tribunal. And it is the first time the victims of the dictator in africa have brought the dictator to justice. Amy all that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. The United States and cuba have reopened their embassies in each others capitals, marking another historic step toward the normalization of relations between the two countries. On monday, secretary of state john kerry hosted Cuban Foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez at the state department, the first time a Cuban Foreign minister has visited the office in 54 years. Well have more on this story after headlines. Were covering the raising of the cuban flag on the cuban of the sea grounds in washington, d. C. In breaking news from senegal, the trial of chads former dictator Hissene Habre has been postponed until september 7 after habres lawyers did not show up to court for the second day of trial. Habre has been charged with crimes against humanity, war crimes and torture related to his eightyear reign in chad during the 1980s. Well have more on this story later in the show. A Memorial Service is being held today at prairie view and him university for sandrabland who died last week in a Waller County jail cell after she was pulled over for a traffic violation. She was said to have committed suicide, a claim her family rejected. On the Waller County district monday, attorney elton mathis said it is very much too early to make any kind of determination that this was a suicide or a murder because the investigations are not complete. This is being treated like a murder investigation. Also on monday, the lawyer for the bland family described newly obtained dashcam footage of the arrest, which shows that the police escalated a routine traffic stop by ordering bland to extinguish her cigarette. The video shows that the officer makes the stop, show some approach from the passenger side and ask for drivers license and insurance, which she gives him. He goes back and runs her name approaches her again after doing so on the driver side. He asks her to put out a cigarette. She says, why do i have to put out a cigarette when i am in my own car . That seemed to irritate him to the point were he said, get out of the car. Amy the officer who arrested sandrabland has been put on desk duty for violating traffic procedures during the stop. Former nasa scientist james hansen, who was one of the first to raise concerns about Climate Change in the has warned that 80s, sea levels could rise as much as 10 feet before the end of the century unless Greenhouse Gas emissions are drastically reduced. The rise would make cities such as london, new york, and shanghai uninhabitable. This comes as new data shows that this past june was the hottest on record, breaking the previous record, which was set last year. Meanwhile, dozens of mayors and officials representing cities and states from across the world are meeting with pope francis in the vatican today to discuss cities commitment to addressing Climate Change. The meeting comes after pope francis wrote an unprecedented encyclical calling for action on Climate Change. In related news, on monday, a group of catholic workers in upstate new york used a sevenfoottall replica of pope francis encyclical to erect a highway blockade as part of an Ongoing Campaign to block a methane gas storage project in caverns underneath seneca lake. Thirteen people were arrested. In news from europe, officials failed to reach an agreement monday on how to relocate the tens of thousands of Asylum Seekers who have arrived in greece and italy this year. As many as 150,000 migrants have arrived in europe by sea in 2015 alone. After the officials failed to reach an agreement, dimitris avramopoulos, the European Union commissioner for migration expressed his disappointment. It is clear Member States must deliver on the promises made at the European Council last month to reach an agreed figure of 40,000 persons proposed by the commission. I want to be frank with you. I am disappointed that this did not happen today. Amy meanwhile, the failed talks were being held, the Italian Coast Guard arrived in a sicilian harbor with about 600 migrants whom the navy had rescued at sea over the weekend. Most were from subsaharan africa. The creditrating Agency Standard and poors has downgraded puerto ricos debt. In a statement monday afternoon, the agency said it was a virtual certainty that the island would default on its upcoming august 1 debt payments. Unlike United StatesStates Puerto rico is not permitted to declare bankruptcy. Many have taken to calling puerto rico americas greece. In turkey, police fired teargas and Water Cannons at protesters monday during a demonstration against the deadly bombing in the mostly Kurdish Border town of suruc. Kurds in turkey have spoken out against what they perceive to be the turkish governments failure to confront the spread of the selfproclaimed islamic state. Meanwhile, in washington d. C. Press secretary josh earnest , condemned mondays attack. I can take the United States strongly condemns the terrorist attack that occurred in southern turkey. Our condolences go out to the families of the victims, many of whom had come to that community to assist in reconstruction effort. We express our solidarity with the turkish government and the turkish people and reaffirm our undeterred resolve to the fight against the share threat of terrorism. Amy in Campaign News republican president ial candidate jeb bush has outlined his economic policy, which includes cutting 10 of the federal workforce and introducing a constitutional amendment to require the federal government to balance its budget. Meanwhile, Ohio Governor john kasich has entered the president ial race, becoming the 16th republican contender. The wall street journal is reporting that new york states fastfood wage board is expected to recommend hiking the minimum wage for fastfood workers to 15 an hour on wednesday. The Labor Commission is likely to approve the wage increase. New yorks Governor Andrew Cuomo has spoken out against the fastfood industry, saying it costs this state 700 million a year to subsidize the profits at mcdonalds and burger king and that is wrong and that must stop. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Democracy now has just returned from washington, d. C. , where on monday the cuban flag was raised at the newly opened Cuban Embassy. Hundreds of dignitaries from both cuba and the United States gathered outside the embassy to mark the Historic Restoration of diplomatic ties between the two countries after 54 years. Crowds of people cheered as the Cuban National anthem played and three cuban soldiers stood at attention while the flag was raised. Even those without invitations rallied outside the embassy gates. Inside the embassy, before about 700 invited guests, Cuban Foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez addressed the audience, calling for the removal of the u. S. Trade embargo and for the return of Guantanamo Bay to cuba. The Historic Events were living today will only make sense with removal of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade, which causes so much deprivation and damage to our people. The return of occupied territory in guantanamo and respect the sovereignty of cuba. Amy Bruno Rodriguez is the first Cuban Foreign minister to visit washington, d. C. Since the , time of the cuban revolution. Later in the day, he met with u. S. Secretary of state john kerry at the state department. The u. S. Embassy in havana also became fully operational monday, but will not host a flagraising ceremony until august 14 when kerry pays a visit to the capital. Earlier monday, cubas flag was raised at the state department joining the flags of more than 150 other countries that have diplomatic relations with the United States. Back at the opening of the Cuban Embassy in washington, d. C. , i spoke with Ricardo Alarcon and asked them about the significance of this historic day. We have to say, it was, it is the result of many years of struggle by many people. The cuban people, but many friends here in this country and around the globe. And i think it is a victory. It is a victory for us, for our people and for all those who were opposing the u. S. Policies for half a century. At the same time, should recognize president obama for having realized that it was high time to abandon a policy that is recognized as a failure. We have come a long way, but there are still a long way to go ahead of us. But for the first time, it will be the americans and cubans dealing with each other on an equal footing. It is very important, amy, that i think everyone should remember. Last saturday, the United States was the only country in the western hemisphere who didnt have an embassy in havana. And cuba was the only country in the western hemisphere who didnt have an embassy here. Now what has happened is the u. S. Has joined has joined the rest of latin america and the caribbean. This story began when the u. S. Seceded just succeeded in isolating cuba from the rest of the hemisphere, and now the first chapter has ended with the u. S. Ending its isolation from the rest of the continental. Amy how did it happen . We should not overstate the role of diplomats. [indiscernible] the struggles of the people. The cuban people who have resisted for a long time [indiscernible] including many, Many American friends. Amy you have been a diplomat for decades. Cuba was just taken off the list of terrorist nations in the United States. How does that feel not to be considered a terrorist anymore . Frankly speaking, the u. S. Asked Nelson Mandela about being in that place. Mandela, his entire life, when he was in prison, when he got out of prison, when he was elected president of south africa, he got the Nobel Peace Prize he was still on the state departments list of terrorists. They took him out in 2008. I suspect because they were suspecting mandela was going to die from [indiscernible] said at the time it was a shame u. S. Policy to have that list with people like mandela. The list or on the list, it doesnt matter. The embargo is a matter of other laws. Amy Ricardo Alarcon, thank you very much for being with us. Ricardo alarcon, the former head of the cuban parliament. He is coming to washington d. C. And leaving almost immediately as well as the other members of the parliamentary delegation. His visa only allowed him to be at the Cuban Embassy and travel back and forth to dulles airport. I also spoke with senator Patrick Leahy of vermont, who was with a congressional delegation who was honoring the opening of the embassy and the raising of the cuban flag. Senator leahy has played a pivotal role in secret negotiations between the United States and cuba for years, and helped release the cuban five, including her are the hernandez. I asked the senator about the significance of the day. I very emotional. When my first trips to cuba 15 or so years ago, i which a baseball game, a u. S. Team playing in havana. They played the Cuban National anthem and the u. S. National anthem. Everybody in their stood at attention and cheered both National Anthems including fidel castro. It was very emotional. This morning standing now on cuban soil in this embassy and to see the american flag, the cuban flag flying sidebyside, hearing both National Anthems, i got very National Emotional and felt very satisfied. Amy you have been instrumental in achieving this moment. You have been involved in the secret negotiations with cuba to get to this point, to normalize relations. Can you tell us what you did . I had many, many meetings down there and some meetings in washington, but a lot of meetings in new york. Where rodriguez and others could come amy the foreign minister. Where the foreign minister could come to the cuban u. N. Mission without getting permission, in new york. I would meet them there. Raul castro i showed up one day on crutches because id imaged my leg hiking in vermont the day before i damaged my leg hiking in vermont that it for. Others would go to canada. The canadians deserve a great till of credit because they set a venue where cubans and u. S. Negotiators could meet secretly in canada to negotiate. I sent a letter to the pope. The president had heard some of my talking points and the pope sent a letter back who brings it to the president in the white house and tells a great story of a man walks up and says, hello, ricardo, im barack obama. He said, i knew who he was. But these are all step by steps. One of the most important, the socalled accidental handshake between president obama and president castro at nelson amendolas funeral. It was no accident. The president was criticized for it. I said Nelson Mandela, if you been a world leader funeral, he would have show canneds even with enemies if you have been other World Leaders funeral, he would have shook hands even with enemies. Both got along very well. Finally, everything came together. I took the president s plane and picked up alan gross on to summer 17, another airplane brought the remaining members of the cuban five down. Went down to another airfield, picked up a cia a set that the cubans had held for years and years, were all on the ground 31 minutes, took off, flew back. It was a new day. Amy speaking of the cuban five, they are all now in cuba. You are also, shall we say, seminal, your office, in the birth of the child of one of the cuban five. Can you talk you need to explain that carefully. One reporter said, what about this cuban woman that you helped get pregnant . I said, what happened, the wife of one of them has come to my wife. Talks gerardo. Shes reaching an age where she might not have children anymore. She loved her husband. Was her some way she could arrange for to become pregnant by her husband . We went to the bureau of prisons. We had we actually had times this have been done. Cubans paid for it all. She was impregnated an animal. In panel mall. Amy where was her husband . In prison in panama, and the United States. She was impregnated with his sperm and they have a beautiful little girl. They named her, the english word is gem. It is amazing. I give my wife as much credit for that and eric holder worked for me in the bureau of prisons, to make it happen. Amy the embargo hasnt been lifted. Know, but it will be. If it is put to the vote of the american public, it would be lifted tomorrow. Amy could the next president reverse all this . Nobody is going to. It is too popular. I am Marcelle Leahy. Amy you were here with your husband senator Patrick Leahy. My husband and i have been traveling to cuba for a little over 15 years. We are just overwhelmed with the thought that now were going to begin a normalization of relations. This is, im for choi, not the end, but the beginning of a lot more hard work unfortunate not the end, but the beginning of a lot more hard work. Amy i was asking senator leahy about the cuban five, singer was seminal in the birth of a child. He said, you got to explain that. But then went on to say, the sexy my wife. Can you talk about your area in cuba and how your exchange led to something quite amazing . I think he is giving me more credit than i deserve, but i did meet with adrianna and her story