President Barack Obama arrives in Cuba on Sunday for a 48-hour visit, making history by venturing into what was once enemy territory and generating enthusiasm among Cubans who have seen their Communist government vilify 10 previous U.S. leaders.
The visit, the first by a U.S. President in 88 years, would have been unthinkable until Mr. Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro agreed in December 2014 to end an estrangement that began when the Cuban revolution overthrew a pro-American government in 1959.
Plainclothes police have blanketed the capital with security while public works crews have busily laid down asphalt in a city where drivers joke they must navigate “potholes with streets.”
Welcome signs with images of Mr. Obama alongside Mr. Castro popped up in colonial Old Havana, where Mr. Obama will tour on Sunday afternoon shortly after landing.
Since rapprochement the two sides have restored diplomatic ties, signed commercial deals on telecommunications and scheduled airline service, and expanded cooperation on law enforcement and environmental protection.
“Obama has been brave for agreeing to relations with Cuba," said school teacher Elena Gonzalez, 43.
Major differences remain, notably the 54-year-old economic embargo of Cuba. Mr. Obama has asked Congress to rescind it but has been blocked by the Republican leadership. Instead, Mr. Obama has used executive authority to loosen trade and travel restrictions.
Cuba also complains about the continued occupation of the naval base at Guantanamo Bay, which Mr. Obama has said is not up for discussion, and U.S. support for dissidents and anti-communist radio and TV programmes beamed into Cuba.
“There are many years of mistrust and we are not going to change our system, our values,” said Ileana Valdes, 55, a nurse. "Although one must highlight that there are no longer invasions.”
The Americans in turn criticize one-party rule and repression of political opponents. Cuban police briefly detained more than 200 activists in the days before the visit, dissidents said.
Mr. Obama's critics at home accuse him of making too many concessions for too little in return from the Cuban government and of using his trip to take a premature “victory lap.”
Little progress on the main issues is expected when Mr. Obama and Mr. Castro meet on Monday or over state dinner that night.
Instead, the highlights are likely to be Mr. Obama's speech on live Cuban television on Tuesday, when he will also meet dissidents and attend a baseball game between the Cuban national team and the Tampa Bay Rays.
“Times change and it's great that we have relations with the United States, even though they still impose the embargo,” said Barbaro Echevarria (28), a medical student. “But we can't blame all our problems on the U.S. embargo.”
Mr. Obama is not scheduled to meet retired president Fidel Castro (89), but officials reminded Cubans of their “historic leader” by publishing photos in the Juventud Rebelde newspaper of Mr. Fidel Castro seated in a wheelchair and meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Mr. Maduro had just visited Cuba to receive its highest state honour in a show of defiance by socialist allies that have stood together against the United States since Mr. Maduro's predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez, came to power in 1999.
The photos of Mr. Fidel and the medal for Mr. Maduro underlined the conflicting sentiments within the Communist Party about receiving a U.S. President. At the same time official media published a glowing biography of Mr. Obama and the government signed a hotel management deal with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.
Starwood becomes the first U.S. hotel company to sign a deal with Cuba since the 1959 revolution, announcing a multimillion-dollar investment to manage and market two properties in Havana and signing a letter of intent to operate a third.
