Obama announces historic visit to Cuba next month

US President Barack Obama has announced a historic visit to Cuba next month, the first US presidential trip to the country in almost 90 years and a dramatic symbol of the thaw in hostilities between the former Cold War foes.

Following secret negotiations between the US and Cuba, Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro announced the restoration of diplomatic relations in December 2014.

Cuban officials are concerned that the executive actions taken by Obama to normalize relations could be reversed next year, given the opposition of leading Republican presidential candidates to restoring ties with Cuba.

He added: “Today, a year and two months after the opening of Cuba, its government is as oppressive as ever”.

“President Obama’s decision to visit Cuba reveals the real goal of his Cuba policy: legitimization of the Castro regime”, Ana Quintana, a policy analyst in Latin America and the Western Hemisphere at The Heritage Foundation’s Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy, said in a statement.

The two-day Cuba trip will begin March 21, followed by another two-day trip to Argentina with First Lady Michelle Obama, the White House said Thursday.

President Harry Truman visited Guantanamo Bay, which is controlled by the United States, so that was not considered a state visit; he didn’t meet with any Cuban government officials, according to his presidential library. “It’s not just a communist dictatorship, it’s an anti-American communist dictatorship”, he told CNN during a town hall.

Despite the headway, commerce remains limited by a USA trade embargo.

Handout The last sitting USA president to visit Cuba was Calvin Coolidge. American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, and United have already expressed interest in bidding for the 110 daily flights between the U.S. and Cuba.

Congressman James McGovern believes President Barack Obama’s plans to travel to Cuba next month is a strong step forward in U.S.-Cuba relations.

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Florida Republican born in Cuba, called the visit “absolutely shameful”. “What I’ve said to the Cuban government is “if, in fact, I, with confidence, can say that we’re seeing some progress in the liberty and freedom and possibilities of ordinary Cubans, I’d love to use a visit as a way of highlighting that progress.’ If we’re going backwards, then there’s not much reason for me to be there”. Earlier this week, the US and Cuba reached an agreement on restoring commercial direct flights between the two countries for the first time in 50 years.

“For Cubans accustomed to watching their government sputter down the last mile of socialism in a ’57 Chevy, imagine what they’ll think when they see Air Force One”, said Flake.

In addition, the economic and trade embargo has also loosened between the two countries.

ABC News first reported Wednesday that the White House planned to announce the trip Thursday.