Reality kicks in as US, Cuba enter talks

The jubilation that greeted the announcement of US-Cuban detente two months ago has faded to resignation for many Cubans who are realizing they are at the start of a long process unlikely to ease their daily struggles anytime soon.

Dreams of US products flooding Havana stores and easy visits to family members in Florida have dissipated, in part because of a coordinated campaign by Cuban state media and officials to lower expectations and remind people that the main planks of the half-century-old US trade embargo remain in place.

As Cuban officials head to Washington for a second round of talks on restoring diplomatic relations on Friday, many working-class islanders say they no longer expect immediate changes in their lives regardless of what emerges from the negotiations.