President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have arrived in Cuba for a historic visit to the island and talks with President Raul Castro.
Barack Obama is the first sitting US president to visit Cuba since the 1959 revolution, which heralded decades of hostility.
“Looking forward to meeting and hearing directly from the Cuban people,” he tweeted on arrival.
President Barack Obama will meet Cuban President Raul Castro, but not retired revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, and the pair will discuss trade and political reform.
Barack Obama emerged smiling from Air Force One with First Lady Michelle and their daughters Sasha and Malia.
Holding umbrellas, the party walked in light drizzle along a red carpet to be greeted by Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez.
Photo Reuters
Barack Obama’s visit is the highpoint of a recent easing of ties, which included the opening of embassies last year.
Only hours before his arrival, protesters calling for the release of political prisoners were arrested in the capital, Havana.
Police took away dozens of demonstrators from the Ladies in White group, formed of political prisoners’ wives, from outside a church where they attempt to hold weekly protests.
Correspondents say the visit – the first by a sitting US president for 88 years – marks a huge turnaround in US-Cuban relations.
Barack Obama’s visit represents the opening of a new chapter in the affairs of the two nations.
Raul Castro and Barack Obama will sit together at a state dinner, there will be a joint news conference and they will discuss trade.
The White House has made it clear President Barack Obama will meet political dissidents, whether the Cuban authorities like it or not. That is expected to include members of the Ladies in White group.
However, this visit does not mark a complete normalization in US- Cuban relations.
The 54-year-old US economic embargo of Cuba is still in place and can only be lifted by a vote in Congress. Meanwhile, Cuba still complains about the occupation of the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay.
According to the White House, the US will not hand back the Guantanamo Bay naval base as part of efforts to improve relations with Cuba.
Cuba’s President Raul Castro included the demand in a speech on January 28, calling also for the US trade embargo to be lifted.
President Barack Obama “does believe that the prison at Guantanamo Bay should be closed down… but not the naval base”, the White House said.
The land on which the base stands was leased to the US by Cuba in 1903.
The Cuban government which came to power in the revolution of 1959 has long demanded its return, saying it is a violation of international law, but the US points to a legal provision making the lease permanent unless it is terminated by mutual agreement.
Photo US Navy
Last month the two countries announced a thaw in relations, agreeing to restore diplomatic ties severed in 1961. Delegations have begun negotiating the re-establishment of embassies.
In his speech on January 28, Raul Castro said: “The re-establishment of diplomatic relations is the start of a process of normalizing bilateral relations.
“But this will not be possible while the blockade still exists, while they don’t give back the territory illegally occupied by the Guantanamo naval base.”
This condition was rejected by White House spokesman Josh Earnest in remarks to the media on January 29.
Josh Earnest agreed that President Barack Obama was seeking to shut the prison at Guantanamo Bay, as it “only serves as a recruiting tool for al-Qaeda and other extremist organizations”.
“But the naval base is not something that we believe should be closed,” the White House spokesman said.
The US has loosened Cuba travel and trade restrictions starting with January 16, US officials say.
Measures include allowing US citizens to use credit cards in Cuba and for US businesses to export some technologies.
Americans will be able to take home up to $100 in alcohol and tobacco from Cuba. Correspondents say it means the US ban on Cuban cigars is over.
The move comes after the US and Cuba countries agreed last month to restore diplomatic relations severed since 1961.
Although the latest moves put a large dent in the US trade embargo against Cuba, only Congress can lift it completely.
Earlier this week, US officials said Cuba had completed the release of 53 political prisoners agreed as part of the historic deal.
“Today’s announcement takes us one step closer to replacing out-of-date policies that were not working and puts in place a policy that helps promote political and economic freedom for the Cuban people,” said US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew in a statement.
Under the new regulations, US citizens will be allowed to travel to Cuba for any of a dozen specific reasons without first obtaining a special license from the US government.
US credit and debit cards can be used there and there will be no more limits on how much money US citizens can spend in Cuba each day.
US companies will also find it easier to export mobile phones and software to Cuba, as well as provide internet services there.
A change in the regulations will also allow US investments in some small businesses and agricultural operations.
The thaw in relations between the two countries was announced last month in simultaneous televised speeches by President Barack Obama and his Cuban counterpart, Raul Castro.
Later this month, US Assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson will lead a delegation to Cuba to discuss migration issues.
They will be the first high-level talks since the easing of relations was announced.
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