President Obama Visits Cuba For The First Time Since 1928
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| President Obama Visits Cuba For The First Time Since 1928 |
heads of state in Cuba since Calvin Coolidge met Gerardo Machado in 1928.
The pair met at the Palace of the Revolution in Havana for face-to-face talks; the president and Michelle Obama will attend a state dinner there Monday night.
Obama and Castro have met twice before—once at the United Nations and once at a summit in Panama City. Raúl Castro officially succeeded his brother Fidel as Cuba's president in 2008.
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| President Obama And Cuban Leader |
Also, it's really neither here nor there, but isn't it a little funny that something called "the Palace of the Revolution" looks like the set of a daytime TV talk show?
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| President Obama |
Mr Castro denied that there are political prisoners in Cuba, telling journalists to "give
him a list" and then they would be released "tonight".
He also defended Cuba's record on human rights and pointed to problems in the US.
"We defend human rights, in our view civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights are indivisible, inter-dependent and universal," Mr Castro said.
"Actually we find it inconceivable that a government does not defend and ensure the right to healthcare, education, social security, food provision and development."
Mr Obama said the trade embargo would be fully lifted in Cuba, but he could not say exactly when.
"The reason is what we did for 50 years did not serve our interests or the interests of the Cuban people," he said.
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