HAVANA — President Obama landed in Cuba on Sunday afternoon, a trip that took more than half a century to complete, to a destination only 90 miles from U.S. shores.
Stepping off Air Force One under drizzling skies, the president held an umbrella over his wife, Michelle, and greeted several senior Cuban officials.
The Obamas, including the president’s two daughters and his mother-in-law, were welcomed on the tarmac by Bruno Rodríguez, Cuba’s foreign minister, and Josefina Vidal, the head of the U.S. section of Cuba’s Foreign Ministry, as well as Jeffrey DeLaurentis, the senior U.S. diplomat in Cuba. The official welcoming session will take place Monday morning when Obama meets with Cuban president Raúl Castro at the presidential palace.
90 years is a long time. We have diplomatic ties with Russian (well sort of), Vietnam, so why not Cuba. They are close. Dissing the country for 90 years hasn’t paid off. Let’s try communication. It might just work.
Good for the Obamas!
Do you think this visit is a pretext to give Guantanamo back to Cuba? We shall see.
@Kelly_3406
He desperately needs a “victory” for his legacy. Everything he’s touched has turned to crap.
“Wielding an umbrella on a rainy Havana afternoon, Obama and his family stepped off of Air Force One and were greeted by top Cuban officials — but not Raul Castro. The Cuban leader frequently greets major world figures upon their arrival at Jose Marti International Airport, but was absent on the tarmac. Instead, he planned to greet Obama on Monday at the Palace of the Revolution.”
He snubbed Obama. He’s making Obama come to him.
This is a good move by the Obama administration. There was absolutely no reason to continue with the prior policy.
I wish
Normalizing relations with Cuba only makes sense – after 50 years of no progress, the Castro’s will soon leave this earth. If the US is not involved when that happens, the leadership vacuum in Cuba will lead to a similar regime. If we have relations, we have a chance to help make sure that a friendly government moves in.
Cuba is a two bit, small country – about the size of Pennsylvania – why are we so scared to have relations with them? We have relations with many middle eastern countries who are more ruthless and unstable than Cuba.
You have made some excellent points, Pat.
I heard on TV today that Raul wasn’t really even making sense. He could easily have Alzheimers or some other form of dementia. Best we are on speaking terms when the inevitable happens.
@Pat.Herve
“If we have relations, we have a chance to help make sure that a friendly government moves in.”
Hahahahahaha! I’m sorry…please name any country where that happened. There actually might be one, but it does not come to mind.