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The Latest: Obama says embargo hurts Cuban people The Latest: Obama cites GOP as example of US progress
(35 minutes later)
HAVANA — The Latest on President Barack Obama’s trip to Cuba (all times local):HAVANA — The Latest on President Barack Obama’s trip to Cuba (all times local):
11:10 a.m.
President Barack Obama is usually a harsh critic of the GOP candidates running to succeed him. On Tuesday, he held them up as evidence of American progress.
Speaking in Havana on his historic first visit, Obama asked the audience to “stop and consider” the remarkable cast of candidates running this year.
“You have two Cuban Americans in the Republican Party running against the legacy of a black man who is president while arguing that they’re the best person to beat the Democratic nominee, who will either be a woman or a democratic socialist.”
“Who would have believed that back in 1959? That’s a measure of our progress as a democracy.”
Obama didn’t name the two Cuban contenders — Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who has suspended his campaign, or Texas Sen. Ted Cruz by name. Both have been harsh critics of Obama’s warming of relations with Cuba.
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11 a.m.
U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan is giving a thumbs-down to President Barack Obama’s trip to Cuba.
Asked what he thought about the president’s visit, Ryan said: “Not much.”
The Wisconsin Republican said it was “fairly ironic” that Obama was in Cuba on Tuesday when an influential pro-Israel lobbying group was holding a conference in Washington. Ryan said that in Washington, “we were talking about standing up for our allies, fighting for freedom, standing up for national security, and the president takes a trip to Cuba where he effectively gets nothing in return and he legitimizes a tyrannical dictatorship.”
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10:35 a.m.10:35 a.m.
President Barack Obama is keeping up his push to lift the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba.President Barack Obama is keeping up his push to lift the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba.
Obama says the blockade hurts the Cuban people by cutting them off from the world and restricting economic growth.Obama says the blockade hurts the Cuban people by cutting them off from the world and restricting economic growth.
Speaking in Havana on Tuesday, Obama said: “It’s time to lift the embargo.”Speaking in Havana on Tuesday, Obama said: “It’s time to lift the embargo.”
Obama has repeatedly cast the decades-old economic sanctions as an outdated holdover from another time — a policy that should be cast aside for new approach. Obama has repeatedly cast the decades-old economic sanctions as an outdated holdover from another time — a policy that should be cast aside for new approach. He says “We are in a new era” and that it’s time to “leave behind the ideological battles of the past.”
He told the audience on Tuesday, “We are in a new era.” He says it’s time to “leave behind the ideological battles of the past.” ___
10:25 a.m.10:25 a.m.
President Barack Obama says he’s come to Cuba to “bury the last remnant of the Cold War in the Americas.”President Barack Obama says he’s come to Cuba to “bury the last remnant of the Cold War in the Americas.”
Obama notes his lifetime has spanned the time of isolation of between the two countries and the decades of constant confrontation. But he says the two countries share the same values and someday the decades of hostilities will be viewed as just “one chapter in a longer story of family and of friendship.”Obama notes his lifetime has spanned the time of isolation of between the two countries and the decades of constant confrontation. But he says the two countries share the same values and someday the decades of hostilities will be viewed as just “one chapter in a longer story of family and of friendship.”
Obama is speaking from the Grand Theater of Havana, with Cuban President Raul Castro and his presumed successor, Cuba’s First Vice President Miguel Diaz Canel, looking on.Obama is speaking from the Grand Theater of Havana, with Cuban President Raul Castro and his presumed successor, Cuba’s First Vice President Miguel Diaz Canel, looking on.
Obama stressed the difference between the countries, noting Castro has discussed them at length during his visit. But Obama says Cuba and the U.S. share similar colonial roots and he says the two countries are like two brothers who’ve been estranged for many years even though they share the same blood. Obama stressed differences between the countries, noting Castro has discussed them at length during his visit. But Obama says Cuba and the U.S. share similar colonial roots and he says the countries are like two brothers who’ve been estranged for many years even though they share the same blood.
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9:05 a.m.9:05 a.m.
A number of Cuban dissidents are preparing to meet U.S. President Barack Obama on the final day of his visit to the island. A number of Cuban dissidents are preparing to meet President Barack Obama on the final day of his visit to the island.
Catholic activist Dagoberto Valdes says the detente between the two countries has been something hard to imagine. He says it’s a challenge both for Obama and for Cuba. Catholic activist Dagoberto Valdes says the detente between the two countries has been hard to imagine. He says it’s a challenge both for Obama and for Cuba.
He says he plans to remind the U.S. leader that “we Cubans are the protagonists of our history.” It’s a point Obama himself made in statements on Monday.He says he plans to remind the U.S. leader that “we Cubans are the protagonists of our history.” It’s a point Obama himself made in statements on Monday.
Some of those invited to attend the meeting at Havana’s U.S. Embassy were briefly detained by police during a protest demonstration on Sunday. Some of those invited to the meeting at Havana’s U.S. Embassy were briefly detained by police during a protest demonstration on Sunday.
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8:45 a.m.8:45 a.m.
The streets around Havana’s National Theater are almost completely empty of ordinary Cubans shortly before U.S. President Barack Obama is to deliver the main speech of his history-making visit to Cuba.The streets around Havana’s National Theater are almost completely empty of ordinary Cubans shortly before U.S. President Barack Obama is to deliver the main speech of his history-making visit to Cuba.
Hundreds of plainclothes policemen and women fill the streets for blocks around. People invited by the Cuban government, including doctors in white coats, are filing from buses into the theater.Hundreds of plainclothes policemen and women fill the streets for blocks around. People invited by the Cuban government, including doctors in white coats, are filing from buses into the theater.
Two enormous framed flags — one Cuban and one American — hang on the stage behind where the president will speak, along with the smaller flags on poles behind him.Two enormous framed flags — one Cuban and one American — hang on the stage behind where the president will speak, along with the smaller flags on poles behind him.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.