Watch CBS News

Cuban Emigre Has Emotional Reaction To U.S. Flag Raising In Havana

Reaction In Chicago To U.S. Flag-Raising In Havana

(CBS) -- One Cuban-American in Chicago watched the U.S. flag-raising in Havana on Friday with some hope.

"I thought I would die before I see this.  To tell you the truth, this is what I thought," 77-year-old Gisela Lopez tells WBBM's Steve Miller.

cuba 2
Gisela Lopez in 1956, before she left Cuba for Chicago. (courtesy: Gisela Lopez)

She left Cuba with her brother in 1956, when she was 18.

The flag-raising and an unfolding U.S.-Cuba relationship makes her emotional.

"When I saw that, I saw some hope. This is why I got so emotional, because I saw the future where friends can be trusted and friends can enjoy each other and be good neighbors," she says.

She hopes the U.S. will remove the economic embargo against Cuba as a next move.

 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.