Challenges await Kerry as he arrives in Havana to raise American flag for first time in 54 years

No US secretary of state has visited Havana since Edward R. Stettinius Jr. stopped by for a day in March 1945 to show American support for a short-lived democratic government.

John F. Kerry was due to end that long absence yesterday, flying to the Cuban capital to raise the US flag for the first time in 54 years at the newly reopened US Embassy, giving another push to efforts to normalise ties between the former cold war foes.

In an interview with Telemundo, the US-based Spanish-language network, Kerry said he also intends to try his hand at personal diplomacy by taking a stroll in Old Havana, “meeting whoever I meet and listening to them and having, you know, whatever views come at me.”

The US and Cuba officially restored diplomatic relations July 20, as part of the normalisation initiative President Barack Obama and his Cuban counterpart, Raul Castro, announced in December. So Kerry’s trip is more about symbolism than substance.

But the images from Kerry’s walkabout and other interactions are vital to the Obama administration and advocates for normalisation, who want to build public support and maintain momentum toward better relations between Washington and Havana.

Lawmakers, entrepreneurs and Cuban American activists clamoured for a chance to fly down with Kerry and his official delegation. The administration is accommodating a planeload of them, as well as an ample crowd of journalists, to give the event maximum visibility.