President Obama landed in Havana at 4:20 p.m. aboard Air Force One on
Sunday, making him the first American president to touch Cuban soil in
nearly 90 years.
The historic three-day trip will have major symbolic significance as the U.S. and Cuba reestablish diplomatic, economic and cultural ties. Obama was joined by First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters, Malia, 17, and Sasha, 14.
Wielding an umbrella on a rainy Havana afternoon, the President stepped
off Air Force One and was greeted by top Cuban officials — but not Raul
Castro.
A VISIT TO CUBA IS LIKE HOPPING IN A TIME MACHINE
The Cuban leader frequently greets major world figures upon their
arrival at Jose Marti International Airport, but he was absent on the
tarmac. Instead, he planned to greet Obama on Monday at the Palace of
the Revolution.
Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump took Castro’s absence as a snub and tweeted the Cuban leader showed “no respect.”
But the White House said the administration was taking no offense, and
Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said a tarmac greeting was
“never contemplated or discussed.”
In addition to the meeting with Castro, Obama’s itinerary includes a
sitdown with dissidents, sightseeing and a baseball game between the
Tampa Bay Rays and the Cuban national team.
The President’s first stop was a Havana hotel, where he greeted U.S. Embassy staff and their families.
“This is a historic visit, and it’s a historic opportunity to engage
with the Cuban people,” Obama said. “Every day you’re bringing the U.S.
and Cuba closer together.”
Obama and his family then toured Old Havana by foot, including the cathedral.
Cuba’s capital was buzzing in advance of the visit. Cubans gave the
buildings in Old Havana a fresh coat of paint and American flags were
hoisted alongside Cuban flags — an improbable sight for those who lived
through a half-century in which the two countries were bitter foes.
OBAMA WILL CONTROL ITINERARY ON TRIP TO CUBA
Nearly 50 protesters demanding improved human rights conditions were
arrested ahead of Obama’s visit. The demonstrators, from a group called
Ladies in White, hold a similar protest each week.
Still, enthusiasm for the landmark visit was tempered somewhat by a
harsh reality: Cubans’ lives have not improved since Obama and Castro
announced the reestablishment of diplomatic ties in December 2014.
“I don’t think things are going to improve here,” said Rosa Lopez, a
52-year-old food stand worker. Gesturing at her worn-out sandals and the
soft drinks she was offering for sale, she added, “All this is here, in
this country, and the United States is way over there.”
The Cuban government maintains vast control over society. Havana will
be virtually shut down during Obama’s stay, and few average Cubans will
get a chance to see him. But the magnitude of the visit could not be
overlooked.
The last President to visit Cuba was Calvin Coolidge in 1928. He arrived aboard a battleship.
¿Que bolá Cuba? Just touched down here, looking forward to meeting and hearing directly from the Cuban people.— President Obama (@POTUS) March 20, 2016
Obama will be closely watched for signs of how aggressively he pushes
Cuba’s Communist leaders on the very issues that led the U.S. to isolate
the nation for the last half-century: human rights, democracy and
economic reform.
Though Cuban officials have warned Obama against meddling, the White
House insists he’ll use his visit to speak directly to Cubans about
possibilities for a different future.
MAN WHO FLED CUBA HOPES OBAMA'S VISIT LEADS TO DEMOCRACY FOR HIS HOMELAND
Obama’s televised speech at the Grand Theater of Havana will lay out a
vision of greater freedoms and economic opportunity, White House aides
said.
There were new signs of the thawing between the two countries ahead of the visit.
Obama further lifted restrictions on Cuba, easing travel prohibitions
and restoring Cuba’s access to the global financial system. Cuba,
meanwhile, announced plans to lift a 10% conversion fee on U.S. dollars.
Obama further lifted restrictions on Cuba, easing travel prohibitions
for Americans and restoring Cuba’s access to the global financial
system.
Cuba, meanwhile, announced plans to lift a 10% conversion fee on U.S. dollars.
And on Saturday, the U.S. chain Starwood signed a deal to renovate and
run three Cuban hotels, returning American hotels to the island more
than 50 years after Fidel Castro’s revolution.
Yet one of the biggest obstacles to full restoration of ties — the U.S.
trade embargo — remains in place and Congress has refused to lift it.
Supporters of closer relations between the two countries say the
embargo will result in U.S. businesses losing to competitors overseas
With News Wire Services
OBAMA'S BUSY ITINERARY IN CUBA
President Obama arrived in Havana Sunday with First Lady Michelle Obama
and daughters Sasha and Malia. The First Family will stay at the
opulent U.S. ambassadorial residence, a two-story building completed in
1942 that is half the size of the White House. Here’s what is on Obama’s
itinerary:
MONDAY
- Wreath-laying at the Jose Marti Memorial, morning
- Official welcoming ceremony, Palace of the Revolution, morning
- Meeting with Cuban President Raul Castro, morning
- Entrepreneurship summit, afternoon
- State Dinner at the Palace of the Revolution, evening
TUESDAY
- Address to the Cuban people at El Gran Teatro de Havana, morning
- Meeting with dissidents and civil society leaders, morning
- Baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Cuban national team at Estadio Latinoamericano, 2 p.m.
- Departure from Jose Marti International Airport en route to Buenos Aires, afternoon
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