(WASHINGTON) — President Barack Obama announced Wednesday that the U.S. and Cuba will reopen their embassies in Havana and Washington, heralding a “new chapter” in relations after a half-century of hostility. “We don’t have to be imprisoned by the past,” Obama said from White House Rose Garden. “Americans and Cubans alike are ready to move forward.” Cuban television broadcast Obama’s statement live, underscoring the new spirit. The embassy agreement marks the biggest tangible step toward normalizing relations since the surprise announcement in December that the U.S.