On April 11, 2015, at the Summit of the Americas in Panama, Barack Obama and Raúl Castro met for a head-to-head meeting, marking the first official discussion between the heads of state of the two countries in over fifty years. This act symbolizes the end of the Cold War in the Western Hemisphere and the beginning of a thaw in diplomatic relations between Washington and Havana.
This process of rapprochement aimed to break away from decades of tensions and economic isolation. Through concrete measures such as the reopening of embassies and the relaxation of travel restrictions, the two heads of state sought to evolve the power dynamics inherited from the 20th century. This dialogue establishes a willingness to prioritize diplomacy over ideological confrontation.
In addition to the protocol aspect, this event illustrated a change in direction in American foreign policy. This gesture made Obama the first president to use direct dialogue to try to lift the last vestige of the Iron Curtain. This historic meeting redefined geopolitical balances in the Caribbean and the entire American continent.
On the Front Page of “Sud Ouest” on April 11, 2010
Caption: An airplane carrying the President of Poland, Lech Kaczyński, his wife, and 94 other individuals crashes in Russia.
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On This Day
Saint Stanislas – Bishop of Krakow, Stanislas was born in Poland in 1030. King Boleslaus had him executed in 1079 for daring to oppose him. The Stanislas are firm and frank. Their color: purple. Their number: 3.
The Quote of the Day: “If it freezes on Saint Stanislas’ Day, we will have two days of ice.”
Events on April 11
- 1945: Liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp.
- 1961: Opening of the Eichmann trial in Jerusalem (he will be executed on May 31, 1962).
- 1977: Death of French poet Jacques Prévert.
- 2002: Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack in Tunisia, in front of the Ghriba synagogue in Djerba. The death toll: 21, including two French nationals.
- 2011: Entry into force in France of the law banning face concealment in public spaces.
- 2012: Explosion at the Darbo factory in Linxe (Landes).
- 2022: Arni and Brazilla, giant otters, arrive at the Zoo de la Palmyre in Charente-Maritime.
Birthdays on April 11
- Nikola Karabatic, French handball player (1984).
- Nicoletta, French singer (1944).
- Olivier Magne, rugby player and former member of the French national team (1973).
