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| Fidel Castro scorns Obama's Cuba visit | Fidel Castro scorns Obama's Cuba visit |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Fidel Castro has broken his silence over President Obama's Cuba visit in a damning letter published in state-run newspaper Granma. | Fidel Castro has broken his silence over President Obama's Cuba visit in a damning letter published in state-run newspaper Granma. |
| Fidel, who handed power to his brother Raul a decade ago, said Cuba didn't need any gifts from the "empire". | Fidel, who handed power to his brother Raul a decade ago, said Cuba didn't need any gifts from the "empire". |
| He described Mr Obama's words of reconciliation as "syrupy" and warned they could give Cubans a heart attack. | He described Mr Obama's words of reconciliation as "syrupy" and warned they could give Cubans a heart attack. |
| Mr Obama had suggested that it was time to bury the last remnant of the Cold War in the Americas. | Mr Obama had suggested that it was time to bury the last remnant of the Cold War in the Americas. |
| In his 1,500-word letter, Fidel also reminded readers of the Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961, in which a CIA-sponsored paramilitary force of Cuban exiles attempted to take over the island. | In his 1,500-word letter, Fidel also reminded readers of the Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961, in which a CIA-sponsored paramilitary force of Cuban exiles attempted to take over the island. |
| However, the 89-year-old ex-leader also said his "modest suggestion" was that Mr Obama "reflects and doesn't try to develop theories about Cuban politics". | However, the 89-year-old ex-leader also said his "modest suggestion" was that Mr Obama "reflects and doesn't try to develop theories about Cuban politics". |
| During his visit, Mr Obama invoked "a future of hope" for Cuba in an unprecedented live TV address delivered from the Grand Theatre in Havana. | During his visit, Mr Obama invoked "a future of hope" for Cuba in an unprecedented live TV address delivered from the Grand Theatre in Havana. |
| He told Cuban President Raul Castro that he did not need to fear a threat from the US nor from "the voice of the Cuban people". | He told Cuban President Raul Castro that he did not need to fear a threat from the US nor from "the voice of the Cuban people". |
| He also called for the lifting of the 54-year old US trade embargo against Cuba, a remark which was met by loud applause. | |
| The embargo remains one of the main sticking points in US-Cuban relations but can only be lifted by the US Congress. | |
| Mr Obama's visit to Cuba was the first by a president since the Communist revolution in 1959. | Mr Obama's visit to Cuba was the first by a president since the Communist revolution in 1959. |
| More on Mr Obama's visit to Cuba | |
| Six sticking points to better relations - Guantanamo Bay, human rights and media freedoms are among the unresolved issues | |
| Cuba's DIY economy - A new generation of Cuban entrepreneurs are launching private businesses | |
| Internet access still restricted in Cuba - Only about 5% of Cubans have web access at home |