Obama will deliver a speech in Havana and meet with dissidents – Onet.pl

 
  Photo: Reuters
 
 
  Barack Obama
 
 
 

As told journalists the deputy adviser. national security Ben Rhodes, President Obama will deliver a speech at the national Theatre in Havana on Tuesday. – It will be provided to Cubans. (…) We see this speech as an unprecedented moment in the history of our country. This is the first visit of the US President in Cuba for nearly 90 years, and certainly the first speech delivered by the President of the United States on the Cuban ground nearly 90 years. It will be an opportunity for the President to ask the Cubans and present his vision of the future – said Rhodes.

He said that to listen to the speeches will be invited many Cubans “from a variety of backgrounds, especially young people.” It’s also possible that the speech will be broadcast live on Cuban television. – The final decision on the matter belongs to Cuba – said Rhodes.

When starting on Sunday afternoon a three-day visit to Cuba, Obama will be accompanied by wife Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia, as well as representatives of business circles, a group of Cuban Americans and approx. 20 congressmen. During the visit, Obama will meet with President Raul Castro and Cardinal Ortega, who along with Pope Francis helped in the first phase of the US resuming contacts with the island after more than 50 years of the Cold War. Obama is also talk with Cuban entrepreneurs and representatives of civil society, as well as watch the match played in Havana team American League baseball (Major League Baseball), the Cuban team.

As assured of Rhodes, Obama will have an opportunity to raise the human rights situation and to meet with Cuban dissidents and prominent representatives of the opposition. He not informed of what exactly, but assured that it is the United States – and not the Cuban side – decides who will take part in the meeting.

United States broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba under president Dwight Eisenhower in 1961. It was a reaction to the rise in tensions in relations with the revolutionary government of Fidel Castro. Eisenhower introduced the embargo on trade ties with Cuba and official contacts had since then repeatedly exacerbated by the US Congress.

In December 2014, the presidents of the United States and Cuba announced a historic warming of relations. Since then, the United States gradually implement the different facilitate contacts with Cuba. Already eased many restrictions in trade, business and travel to Cuba. The most important change, which was announced on Tuesday, is to allow private Americans to travel to Cuba, if such a person to fill the form in advance that he was going to the island for educational purposes, and not tourist. Travel purely tourist are still banned in the framework of the embargo, which would require the elimination of the consent of Congress. For now, a large part of the Republicans controlling Congress is against it.

(sp)