Ignoring criticism from Republican leaders and human rights groups alike, President Barack Obama has announced his plans to sit down with Cuban dictator Raul Castro today at Havana’s Palace of the Revolution.
And when Obama and Castro meet, Obama will be lending credibility to a Cuban government that threw dozens of dissidents into prison shortly before he arrived.
Reports have surfaced of anti-government protests that occurred over the weekend, and mass arrests that followed. Cuban authorities seemingly engaged in a campaign to round up anyone who could make the country look bad during Obama’s visit.
Particularly targeted were the so-called Ladies in White, who represent the wives and female relatives of jailed political dissidents.
Obama opened the first presidential visit to Cuba in nearly 90 years on Sunday when Air Force One touched down in Havana.
For Cubans, the glaring questions are whether their own government is ready to prove the ambitious diplomatic opening is more than just talk — and whether Obama would stick up for democracy during his trip.
Indeed, the U.S. and Cuba are working more closely together now than at any time since relations took a nose dive amid Cuba’s 1959 revolution. Yet while Americans are now flocking to Cuba in greater numbers, closer ties have yet to bring about the degree of change that many Cubans hoped would follow after Obama and Castro moved to normalize relations 15 months ago.
Since taking power in 2008, Raul Castro has orchestrated economic and social reforms with lasting and broad-based impact, though to many Cubans and foreigners they appear slow to materialize. Castro has given little ground when it comes to changing Cuba’s single-party system or easing strict limits on media, assembly and political dissent.
Critics accuse Obama of kowtowing to the authoritarian communist government. Though Cuba approved U.S. hotel chains Starwood and Marriott to operate here and moved to lift fees on converting U.S. dollars, those steps pale in comparison to sweeping changes Obama has enacted to lift decades-old U.S. restrictions.
His visit was to continue Tuesday with a major speech that Cuban officials said would be carried on TV. Before departing for Argentina, Obama planned to attend a game between Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays and Cuba’s beloved national team.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
No trips to homeless shelters or unemployment offices. No trips to visit the working class. However, plenty of time to visit torturers and human rights abusers.
We AMERICANS are so lucky to have a leader like the SORREST ass in theworld for a PRESIDENT! !!!!!!!!! AND ALONG WITH HIM ALL THE STUPID REPRESENTATIVES !!!!!!!!!!! WHERE DID OUR AMERICA GO????????????????
down the toilet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE NEED TRUMP TO CLEAN THIS MESS UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Send Hillier to cuba so she can be with her buddy. we wonder if Sorass is there..
I want Hillary and the Illegal, Lying, Gay Illegal Muslim both sent to GITMO For the rest of their lives for all the crimes and killings they’ve done, not to mention the damage to AMERICA. Hopefully, Congress and the Senate will prevent the Illegal from giving GITMO back to CUBA.
To Cuba, Floyd.
Starwood’s other name is “Goldman Sachs”
Starwood’s middle name is China.
amen
OH.. Obama will allow these Incarcerated FREEDOM FIGHTERS to Cross the Border sooner than Later while Cuba can keep COP killers from being deported to the USA for Justice…
Well he should stop by the dry Tortugas on his way back.and venture thru the Bermuda triangle as well. So wonderful places to visit.
No, that would put the lives of the Marine Air FOrce One crew at risk of losing their lives. Their lives matter !
THOSE YOUNG STUDENTS THAT FOLLOW BERNIE AROUND, SHOULD TAKE HEED. IF EVERYTHING IS FREE SOMEBODY STILL HAS TO PAY FOR WHAT YOU ARE GETTING FREE. WHEN YOU RUN OUT OF OTHER PEOPLES MONEY, THEN YOU GET CUBA! SO ALL U LIBERAL LEANING FOLKS, TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR FUTURE, AND DONT EVER SAY IT CANT EVER HAPPEN HERE, IT HAPPENED IN CUBA!
EEL River- You are so RIGHT! Please everyone read it and believe it! Thank you.
It’s damn disgrace he even went there! The Castro’s did not even greet him at the airport! He is a communist himself so putting people in prison is fine with him!
Putting the poor and homeless in prison is a common ploy used buy regimes to hide their cruelty! America should be ashamed that he even went there! He has disgraced us and all that we used to stand for before he was elected!!!’
Obama is such a Communist Socialist that he should stay in Cuba. He is such a disgrace to the US it is not even worth the paper they write about him on!
You left out one word in your description of Obami. He is a Muslim communist jerk….
And Obama is supposedly doing a good job!
You got that right he should have tuned that plane around when he seen or heard that they where hitting people mostly black people over the head it was all over the news Donald Trump said that is what he should have done. And say we will not work with that kind of evil!!! But No! He whent there anyways. People might trust him but I’m telling you that man is sick in the head. And what gets me is how many people still stand up for him because of the color of his skin only.I’m a proud Indian but I would not be proud that was my ancestor. Hello there are evil and sick black people too. Just as there are evil white Indian Mexican Chinese it doesn’t matter what they are because there is evil in tribes. No one is perfect because of their skin tone! So people really need to ask them self what has he done for the African Americans ? What has he done for our country because he sure as not even tried to stop all of this hate going on in this country Nothing has even been talked about and he blames everyone elsh for anything and everything that he has done. I my self believe that he was picked by color alone! Hello he was a lawrey And a lawyer is good at one thing and that is lying. Go to school to be a lawyer And see what you are tought the most and that is to lie your way in a court house for your complainant! Now tell me that is not true? This country and our government has gotten so fare away from our Lord Jesus Christ and we the people of this country And it is showing big time. We did not have all this racist crap going on before him! I don’t have any thing against black people Indians Mexicans it doesn’t matter but since he has been in power it’s like the end of slavery just ended. Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us to leave our pass behind us! I’m not saying just forgetting what happen but don’t carry the hate around with you because that hate is what is going to take you know where good! And why is everyone so dumb to vote for a women just because she is a women? Believe me Hillary Clinton is not what this country needs. And the sick people in there KKK. Out fits showing up at Donald Trumps speeches is not there because they love Donald Trump. They are there to hurt him and I guarantees someone is paying them to do so. It’s is all starting to look like a movie! You don’t know what dumb thing is going to happen yet! But if this country dose not turn back to our Heveanley Father and his Son JESUS Christ then sit back and get ready to see this country become just like the rest. We will not be number one anymore! This country is going true the same thing that Israel did when they turned there backs on there Lord Jesus Christ And they too where given signs a warning just like we are and they were ignored! Are we going to ignore our Lord signs? Just like they did? If so history is going to repeat itself it’s up to us and only us to not let that happen and that means that we all need to stop fighting and stand together and all set a ???? and all hit our knees and pray like we have never prayed before! We need to love our Lord Jesus Christ way more than we do our country and flag! Because our God is a jealous God and he must come first! And then our country and our flag can come 22nd. Do I make any sense to any one? Because if not then this country is going down.
Yes you do make sense but evil doesn’t want it to make sense to these people who are being his(devil’s) stupid little puppets,I wonder what kind of answer their going to give to GOD when their on their knees before HIM on their judgement day and they will bow on their knees before HIM that’s a true fact.
Obama is the worst negotiator in Presidential history. You can be sure that the deal he made with the Castros was a bad one for the USA. Why did he not try to get our criminals out of Cuba?
Odumba doesn’t care about American people why should he care about those people? You have to know he doesn’t care about people period. If it doesn’t touch him it doesn’t matter.
obammie is the single biggest threat o FREEDOM on this planet; he is an evil ideological maniac; must be dealt with soon.
one communist sucking up to another.
Nailed that one on the head.
Two horrible people.
He went to visit his own. Obama is thrilled to be in the company of fidel Castro, a left wing icon. I’m sure obama will attend the Castro funerals.
THE CUBANS ARENT SO EAGER TO VOTE THE LEFTIST TICKET, THEY HAVE FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE ON WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LET SOMEBODY LIKE OBUMBA RUN AROUND LOOSE. GREAT COUNTRY CUBA, TO BAD THE COMMIES TOOK IT OVER, AND NOBODY CAN ENJOY IT NOW, A HAND FULL OF CANADIAN TOURISTS, MAYBE. AND THEY COULD BE HELD FOR RANSOME AT ANY TYME.
He is actually looking for a residence because when it all comes out and the scat hits the fan he and all muslims will be deported .
Barry soetoro barack HUSSEIN Obama, & Valerie Jarrett, Huma Abedin, muslims, plans on being dictator for ever, Cruz, his devout Cuba born Dad, are all the same, trying to take over our America forever!!!!! where is Congress on all this, TAXPAYERS PAYING$$$$$$ for!!! all their trip, how man JETS????how much$$$ for destroying us, America, BARRY, other partner “MICHAEL”michelle?, Michael’s Mother, two so call “daughters” all on jets at taxpayers expense,(millions out of work, 20trillions owe China) to betray our America forever…a traitor muslim in full force…GOD BLESS OUR AMERICA; IN GOD WE TRUST…PRAY PRAY PRAY for America now…for JesusChrist help now…against enemies in full force…
He’s building a MANSION in DUBAI, and may build one in CUBA too! Neither will extradite him to pay for Treason and other crimes against the American people! Once the strangle hold is off the media and law enforcement and the real O’boma becomes more known!
Might be but dout it.
Obama is in Cuba to visit with his COMERADS. Just one more slap in the face of Freedom. This too is Obama’s legacy
Is our girly president gonna throw(?) the first pitch?
Girly is not Obama. Obama is terrorist sympothizer at best.
too bad they didn’t wait until dumie got there and arrest him along with the protestors..they would be doing us a tremendous favor..or better yet, maybe they will move into the Castro mansion and live there for the rest of their lives…he seems to like their kind better than those of us living in the country he has messed up so badly…why can’t he visit the Veterans, or the military or somewhere it will actually benefit the US…
btw-the Veterans probably don’t want to have a visit from him…
Because they despise the USA.
Guess Cuba leader will be putting more to death, we will never hear about it unless Cuba has a whistle blower… He usually put to death those who arrested… or torture them or both
Rubio and Cruz father both came from Cuba and it seem strange that Obama made some deal with Cuba all about the time those two was running for the president office…
Well that explains his timing the best.
Maybe Mr. Obama’s comrades won’t let him leave, wouldn’t that be groovy?
I wouldn’t trust the Cubans or obozo about or on anything they talked about . And another thing; Why is obozo going to Argentina ? More tax payers money spent before the TRAITOR leaves office . Vacation time again . The USA will be a better place again when he and hitlery are in prison orange or black and white stripes . What happened to the good old days when traitors were shot for treason by a firing squad ? TRUMP FOR THE PEOPLE 2016 !
Trump is not answer, Bernie is right on one thing we the people need to take control of our Nation. The rest is wrong.
Bernie is not the answer he is a socialist. How many socialist countries has not been converted to communism. Where is he going to get the money for all this free stuff? Off “you” if you work!Where is your brains?
you must be on the government’s pay roll also…
you must be on the government’s pay roll also…
You fool, yes he will take care of our country like castro did Cuba. Are you blind or what. No, I know, you are a twice gullible Obama voter.
You got that dummy pegged right she is an obama voter she needs get on her knees and ask for the LORD for forgiveness.
Maybe he should just stay there?
Please keep him
America has ran all over the Earth trying to help stop the Governments from mistreating their own people. America has been doing this for more than 50 years in everyplace except a Country right under our nose, namely Cuba. Castro should of been took out years ago. I don’t look for Obama to make many deals with Castro as they are just alike. Maybe if Americans can go visit it may help the Cuban people some. What we need is a President with enough balls to tell Castro what we expect out of him in a way of treating his people. We do have a man running for President with enough balls to get into Castro’s face and to tell him the way it’s going to be or else. I believe Trump will do this and also tell our Government that they had best get their chit together or else. Obama would love to control the people of America just like Castro controls his people as he has been working on this for almost 8 years. The only thing that has saved Americans is the Constitution and Obama wants to change that.
Once again President Obama shows his trademark gullibility. Obama will give Cuban leaders all they want and we will get nothing. Those who speak for freedom in Cuba will continue to be jailed and persecuted while Obama touts the new day in Cuba.
Why should Obama care? He promotes doing the same things. They should get along well comparing notes.
THE MUSLIM/ISLAMIC, SOCIALIST, COMMUNIST, SECULAR PROGRESSIVE, LEFT-WING, TREASONISTIC, SON OF A WHORING BITCH SHOULD BE HUNG BY THE bALLS AND LEFT TO DANGLE IN THE WIND!
Muslims should be evaluated on an individual basis. Most American Muslims ae not terrorist.
True
And left wing news outlets try to scream abuse at Trump Rally’s. Instead of watching Dumb and Dumber, foreign countries like Cuba must watch out news casts for their entertainment.
Black Lives Matter would have been non existent years ago. Go ahead, fight to have a country like Cuba, you will never have rights. You will never be entitled to anything. Might want to rethink your position regarding Trump.
Trump 2016!
The reason he went to cuba is to get an idea how the communist regime works so he can instruct Hillary on how to turn the US into a communist regime if she becomes president . She will start first by confiscating the American people guns ( same thing castro did when he got into power). Second she will take from the working class to give to those who dont want to work ( same thing castro did took property from working class and gave it to those who did not work but were willing to support his revolution) third put those who complain in a black list and call them terrorist ( Castro called the ones who did not participate with his communist ideas he called the contra revolutionaries and worms. So if you make your living working hard dont vote for Hillary. If you are a lazy bum and never worked in your life then vote for Hillary she will give you food stamps free housing free phone just for supporting her and all this money is going to come from people who work
Can there be any doubt that Obama will get the full Potemkin treatment in Cuba.
I did some construction and maintenance work leading up to the Salt Lake City Olympics. Just ahead of the Olympic Games many of the local bums/panhandlers were given free Greyhound Bus tickets out of town. Las Vegas was the beneficiary of SLC’s generosity. SLC just wanted as many ‘troublemakers and petty criminals’ out of the way as possible. Sound familiar?
No civil liberties is one of a myriad of rights that are not afforded to the Cuban people.
Wake up America, we are losing our country!! People need to realize when they get “free” food stamps, “free” housing and “free” phones, the only free in it is in our FREEDOM that we will all lose. Don’t fall for the Clinton promises. She is a liar among other worse things.