We’re going to close our live coverage of the first day Barack Obama’s historic trip to Havana, the first by a US president to Cuba in nearly 90 years, and a pivotal moment for Raúl Castro and the communist government that has ruled the island for almost six decades.
Barack Obama met with Raúl Castro in the Palace of the Revolution, where they held the first bilateral talks in the history of the US and post-revolution Cuba.
Castro demanded the US end its embargo and return Guantánamo Bay during a joint press conference after the talks. He also warned against efforts to foment dissent or encourage democracy: “No one should demand the Cuban people renounce their freedom and sovereignty.”
He also denied that Cuba imprisons political dissidents. “Give me a list and I’ll release them,” he angrily answered a question. “If we have those political prisoners they will be released before tonight ends.”
Obama promised “the embargo’s going to end,” though he couldn’t say when Congress would come around to his way of thinking. “The reason is logic. The reason is what we did for 50 years did not serve our interests or the interests of the Cuban people.”
“We had a very frank conversation around issues of democracy and human rights,” Obama said. “What this comes down to is I have faith in people,” he added, arguing that through diplomacy, business and travel Americans and Cubans “will recognize that people are people. And in that context, I believe that change will occur.”
Castro vocally criticized the US’s record on human rights and defended Cuba’s. He noted that Cuba ensures free healthcare and education and equal pay for women. Asked about human rights, the Cuban president argued that no country in the world guarantees all rights or freedoms. He praised Obama, however, and said that he hoped for “civilized coexistence” despite their differences.
Obama later made a thinly veiled critique of socialism, saying: “there are some economic models that just don’t work.” He gave credit to the Cuban government for cracking open a private sector and urged entrepreneurs to work with the many Americans rushing to do business on Cuban shores.
The US president also said he would meet with Fidel Castro, ABC News reported after a private interview. If the former revolutionary’s health permitted it, Obama said, he would want to close that chapter of cold war history.
Obama is using this business event to make a not-so-veiled critique of socialism.
“There are some economic models that just don’t work,” he says. “That’s not an economic opinion of myself there are some economic models that have had some great difficulty in how they operate.”
“It gets harder and harder” for those economies to sustain themselves, he says. He has not said the words “socialism” or “communism” once during this event, or today’s public remarks, by my reckoning.
Private sector business “can be compatible with good education and free healthcare”, he says. He adds that the US wants to see Cuba succeed on these terms.
Producers for ABC News, the only media organization that was awarded an interview with Barack Obama during his Havana trip, have revealed that the president would meet Fidel Castro if the logistics worked out.
They’re saving the details for the network’s nightly news broadcast.
BREAKING: Obama tells @DavidMuir he'd happy to meet Fidel Castro to close Cold War chapter but given health no idea if realistic @WNTonight
They also got an answer from the president about Raúl Castro’s defiance in the face of the American press, to whom he defended Cuba’s record on human rights and political prisoners.
.@POTUS tells @DavidMuir the (awkward) presser evidence of progress bc 1st time Raúl Castro in front of US press & Cuban press & answered Q
Brian Chesky, the American co-founder of Airbnb, makes a comment about expanding business in Cuba. Obama is effusive with his praise for Chesky, and more generally about the business opportunities of the internet.
“He’s one of our outstanding young entrepreneurs. He had an idea, and acted on it, and in this global economy it can take off,” Obama says. “Brian’s a good example of the power of the internet and why having a good internet infrastructure is so important.”
He talks about how Airbnb uses photos and user and credit ratings to better ensure good service between renters and lodgers. “It’s a tool to build trust and to allow this transaction to take place.”
“If you imagine what could be done with broader internet access,” he says, “Brian gives you a good example of what could be unleashed.”
Journalist Soledad O’Brien now joins the president on stage – she’s going to moderate a discussion with businesspeople and Obama. He said a moment ago that he wants to hear from the Cuban people – who’ll now get their chance to ask him questions, too.
A barber who owns a small business, nicknamed Pepito (didn’t catch his last name), says he wants to share his personal vision. He talks about how in recent years barbershops like his own have shifted from state-ownership to private. But he’s got good things to say about the Cuban government, too.
“I am convinced that social benefits make economic benefits even greater,” he says. “In the end we all win.”
Obama starts off with a little sympathy: “My barber is very important to me. Michelle’s hairdresser – if she had to choose between her hairdresser and me, I don’t know.”
He comments a little on Pepito’s idea of business working hand in hand with government and society, to the mutual benefit of all.
“A barbershop, the beauty salon, that’s often the center of a neighborhood,” Obama says, “so congratulations on not only starting your business but seeing it as a social enterprise.”
“There was an interesting conversation that I had with President Castro around this issue,” he continues, regarding the government reforms to allow more open business. “He started to point out as people start to get their own income, owning their own property, their own business, the question starts to come up” about paying taxes.
Castro noted, Obama says, that “nobody likes paying taxes, especially if they’re not used to paying taxes. And I assured him that’s a universal trait.”
He links this back to the new organizations meant to foster business under the new rules of Cuba’s centralized economy: “That gives you a sense of how some of these institutions are going to have to start evolving over time.”
“It’s the spirit of youth, talented and driven young people ready to make your mark on the world,” Obama continues, adding that “more Americans using the dollar mean there will be more” purchases as well.
He praises Cuba’s education system, saying that the high literacy among Cubans is a sign of “an investment that’s been made here in Cuba”.
Then he compliments “your ingenuity, who else could keep almendrones running?”
Almendrones is the Cuban nickname for their antiquated cars, many of which are relics of the 1950s.
“You’ve got more than 300 million potential American customers and one of the world’s most dynamic cities, Miami, right next door,” Obama adds. “America wants to be your partner.”
He says General Electric will sell more products in Cuba, Cleaver is going to start a tractor factory, Starwood “will become the first US hotel that operates here in more than 60 years, and Marriott will be here soon as well.”
He again calls on Congress to lift the embargo, which gets applause and round of whoops from the crowd. “We believe in the Cuban people,” he says, adding that he heard from an entrepreneur who told him Cuba just needs a chance for business to flourish.
“As your friend and as your partner the United States of America wants to help you get that chance.”
Barack Obama is speaking at an event in Havana (a brewery, specifically) before a number of American and Cuban entrepreneurs, businessmen and women and officials.
“In many ways the history of Cuba can be understood through the labor of Cuban people,” he says.
“For centuries under colonial rule and then for decades” under the influence of American businesses, he continues “the toil was used to enrich other people rather than” the Cuban people. He then observes – without saying the words communism or socialism – that Cubans were not allowed to own their own businesses for decades.
“In recent years that’s begun to change. To its credit the Cuban government has adopted some reforms,” he says. “Cubans can now buy and sell properties,” he continues it’s easier for Cubans to travel, to buy a cellphone, for farmers to start cooperatives and for families to start their own business.”
He talks a bit about the growing presence of American companies in the modern era, which are making it easier for business. He name-checks lodging service Airbnb, saying it’ll help homeowners rent out rooms and meal services, like the one his family had yesterday. “The food was really good, even if my Spanish is not that great.”
This is the second time he has praised that meal today. He goes back to the theme of a more open private sector. “That’s the power of entrepreneurship, it’s self-determination, the power to choose your own future.”
It’s not all diplomacy and history in Havana. It’s also skateboarding.
My colleague Laurence Mathieu-Léger met four Cuban skateboarders in the city who talked about the rigid ways of Cuban society, about art and protest, and the freedoms (including to skateboard) abroad. “One of the things that’s most clear to me is that I want to keep skateboarding, just not here.”
Back out in Havana, Lisa O’Carroll has found wifi in one of the few places around the city that provides it … a public park.
Teenagers have swept into the park to take advantage of its free internet, followed by journalists who have strayed from the presidential press pack. A German journalist, Simon Kiesche, is here sending his video of Barack Obama from the park. “The system that you can only get Internet in a public park I have never seen before and I have worked all over the world.”
Until last year, internet was largely only available to tourists, officials, or through an extremely expensive pay-per-minute system in designated locations. Many of the new US initiatives are aimed at opening the country to telecoms, and Obama declared earlier today: “In the 21st century countries cannot be successful unless their citizens have access to the internet.”
Teenagers using wifi at a park. Photograph: Lisa O'Carroll
Most Americans support ending the embargo with Cuba, the Pew Research Center has found, in a report just published about the rapprochement. It’s findings are summarized below:
A survey from July 2015 found that 73% of Americans approved of new relations, and a similar share said they would favor ending the 56-year trade embargo.
But Americans are skeptical about democracy’s chances in Cuba, at least in the short-term. “Fewer than half of those surveyed said they thought Cuba would become more democratic over the next several years,” the report notes. Conservatives were more skeptical, Democrats most optimistic, and 49% of everyone said Cuba would stay “about the same” for a while.
For the first time, most Americans have a favorable view of Cuba. A” Gallup survey conducted in February found that 54% of Americans had a favorable view of Cuba,” Pew wrote, way up from 10% who liked Cuba in 1996.
The Cuban American community is changing. Young Cuban Americans increasingly support the thaw, and there are more native Cuban Americans and Cuban immigrants than ever, shifting opinion toward more congenial relations.
The decision to restore relations has strong support in Latin America. A majority across five countries surveyed last spring said they approved of the thaw. Nearly 80% in Chile, 78% in Argentina, 77% in Venezuela, 67% in Brazil and 54% in Mexico.
The presidential visit now diverges for a few hours. First lady Michelle Obama is meeting with young Cubans “to talk about their experiences and hopes for the future”, according to the American embassy in Havana – which is still a novelty there.
Michelle Obama se reunió con jóvenes cubanas para hablar de sus experiencias y esperanzas para el futuro pic.twitter.com/UzxdEDmfmm
And Barack Obama will head to an event meant to encourage business and entrepreneurs, at which Spanish American chef Jose Andres has been spotted by a member of the White House press corps.
While the presidents are back on the move – Barack Obama to meet entrepreneurs at an event in Havana, Raúl Castro to ready for a massive state dinner this evening – my colleague Lisa O’Carroll has taken to the streets to talk with Cubans about their country’s future.
The 56-year old blockade has possibly given Cuba unique global status as the only McDonalds-free zones in the world. Despite the burgeoning tourist trade, and the possibility of up to 30 daily flights from the US later this year, there is no virtually no evidence of American culture apart from 1950s Buicks, Plymouths and other motor relics of the pre-revolution days.
There are no fast food chains, no Starbucks, no Coca-Cola (although Coca Cola’s Sprite seems to have sneaked through trade barrier).
American credit cards don’t work and tourists hoping the US dollar is the preferred currency get a rude shock when charged high fees to change them into pesos.
“There is one word that identifies our country since 1868, and that is ‘independence’,” said the concierge at one of the luxury hotels frequented by Americans.
“It is as simple as that,” he said. “Maybe it will be a good thing that McDonalds doesn’t open. It will be the first step towards our death.”
‘Socialism or death’, a billboard reads with Fidel Castro’s face on it. Photograph: Enrique de la Osa/Reuters
He doesn’t expect overnight change flowing from the lifting of trade restrictions and the normalisation of Cuban-American relations Obama visit. Evidently proud of his country’s resistance to succumb to America, he says Obama is just another president visiting Cuba “like Francois Hollande”.
“It is not the Berlin Wall,” he added. “Maybe Russia got Coca Cola and McDonald’s at the end of the Cold War. Today we enjoy Obama’s visit. Maybe the Americans come here and try to invest in our economy but it is important to remember Fidel Castro is still alive.
“He and Raoul have many smart people around them and they will stay in charge. This is our country and Obama’s visit is only a first step to solve our relationship,” he said. “We are in no rush.”
Cuba has spent all week putting on its Sunday best for Obama with fresh Tarmac on all the main roads – that are usually free of traffic – in the city centre.
Just around the corner, the typical Cuban home is equally as grand and elegant, neoclassical or colonial in design, but after almost 60 years of neglect virtually falling down.
The Huffington Post’s Jennifer Bendery does a quick fact-check of Raúl Castro’s claim that there aren’t actually any political prisoners in Cuba – or at least that he’d have to look into it if someone would give him a name.
The Cuban Observatory for Human Rights estimated that, as of the end of last year, there were at least a few dozen political prisoners in Cuba.
Just yesterday the Guardian saw a political protest forcibly broken up by police, and few dozen people bundled into police vans, as well.
Castro answers a question about Cuba’s compliance with international standards of human rights.
“There are 61 international instruments to recognize how many countries in the world comply with all the human rights and civil rights,” he sys.
“What country complies with them all? Do you know? I know. None. Not a single country. Some countries comply with some rights, others apply others.”
He says that Cuba complies with 40, and that he doesn’t believe human rights issues should be “politicized”.
“Do you think that there’s a more central right than to healthcare? So that millions of children don’t die for the lack of a vaccine or treatment?” he asks.
“Do you agree with the right to free education, for all those born everywhere in the world? I think many countries don’t think this is a human right.”
He boasts about Cuba’s healthcare system, saying that pregnant women go to the hospital days before they’re due to ensure a safe delivery – “it doesn’t matter whether they live in distant places or the country.”
Then Castro points out that Cuba has laws about equal pay regardless of gender: “In Cuba women get the same pay for the same work. I can give you many, many examples.
“I don’t think we can use the argument of human rights for political confrontation. That’s not fair. That’s not correct. I’m not saying that’s not honest, or that it’s not part of discussions, but let us work together so that we can all comply with rights.
“I’m going to end here because there’s a commitment we’ve got to get to.”
But the question about political prisoners is clearly still on his mind: “It’s not right to ask me about political prisoners in general, please give me the name of a political prisoner.”
Cuban President Raul Castro answers a question. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters
“The embargo’s gonna end,” Obama declares. “When, I can’t be entirely sure … and the path is going to continue beyond my adminsitration.
“The reason is logic. The reason is what we did for 50 years did not serve our interests or the interests of the Cuban people. … If you keep on doing something over and over again for 50 years and it doesn’t work it might make sense to try something new.”
Obama. Photograph: AP
He gets to the qualification: “Having said that lifting the embargo requires the votes of a majority in Congress and maybe even more than a majority in the Senate. As I’ve indicated to President Castro two things I think will help accelerate the case …
“The first is to the degree that we can take advantage of the existing changes that we’ve already made … that will help to validate this change in policy.”
He gives the example of allowing US companies to build infrastructure and internet access in Cuba, saying that this will open the country and make business easier for Americans and Cubans both.
“The second area is human rights,” he continues. “People are still concerned about that inside of Cuba. Keep in mind i’ve got fierce disagreements with the Chinese about Cuba. I’m going to Vietnam. I have deep disagreements with them as well.
If I engage, frankly, clearly, stating what our beliefs are but also being clear that we can’t force change on any particular country, ultimately it has to come from within. That is going to be a more useful strategy than the same kinds of rigid disagreement that for 50 years did nothing.
“What this comes down to,” Obama concludes, “is I have faith in people. If they’re talking and interacting and going to school together and doing business together … they will recognize that people are people. And in that context, I believe that change will occur.”
A reporter asks Castro to expand on his hopeful remarks about “civilized coexistence”, and Castro gives a few examples.
He notes the cooperation between doctors “In Haiti with cholera, and Africa with Ebola, that [cooperation] is the future of mankind if we want to save the human species.”
“Water levels are rising,” he adds, alluding to US-Cuba cooperation on climate change, and then he loses his train of thought somewhat. “These are too many questions for me – I think some should go to President Obama.”
Obama answers a question about the embargo. “We have administratively made a number of modifications on the embargo,” he says.
“We’ve actually been fairly aggressive in exercising as much flexibility as we can given that the law putting the embargo in place has not been repealed by Congress.”
Castro listening. Photograph: AP
“There may be some technical aspects that we can still make adjustments on depending on problems as they arise. For instance the issue around the dollar and the need to make modifications … to encourage rather than discourage reforms that the Cuban government itself is willing to engage in and to facilitate trade and commerce.”
Obama blames Congress a bit for tying his hands: “Frankly Congress is not as active as I would like during presidential election years.”
But he says he’s still hopeful: “The fact that we have such a large congressional delegation, including Republicans and Democrats, is an indication that there is growing interest for lifting the embargo.”
The second to Castro: this is a new direction for your country, why do you have Cuban political prisoners, and why don’t you release them?
Castro is defiant. “Give me a list and I’ll release them,” he says, suggesting Cuba has none at all. “If we have those political prisoners they will be released before tonight ends.”
A third to Castro: who do you prefer, Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump?
“Well, I can’t vote in the United States,” Castro jokes.
NB: Obama did not answer the question about why he didn’t meet Fidel Castro.
The presidents take questions. The first to Obama: how did you urge Castro on human rights and why didn’t you meet with Fidel Castro?
Obama: “We had a very frank conversation around issues of democracy and human rights. Our starting point is we have two different systems, different systems of government, of economy. And we have decades of differences,” he says.
“What I have said to President Castro is we are moving forward and not looking backward, that we don’t view Cuba as a threat to the United States.
“America believes in democracy, we believe that freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, and freedom of religion are not just American values but are universal values.
“They may not be enshrined in the founding documents or constitution of every country … but the impulse, the human impulse toward freedom, the freedom that Jose Marti talked about, we think is a universal [freedom].”
“President Castro has pointed out in his view that everybody gets decent education or healthcare,” Obama continues, “are universal human rights as well.”
“I personally don’t disagree with him, but it doesn’t detract” from the other conversations, he insists.
“It’s not for the United States to dictate to Cuba how they should govern themselves,” he continues. “Hopefully that we can learn from each other. It does not mean that it has to be the only issue that we talk about.”
President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters
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