Barack Obama made history with his visit to Cuba this week. While this meeting is greeted as a way to restore diplomatic relations between both countries, Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro clashed on major differences in terms of democracy and human rights.
In a joint press conference in Havana U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro unearthed old grievances and Sshowed striking opposition towards each other's stance on human rights issues.
Obama, for one, pointed out the rampant arbitrary imprisonments of Cuban rebels which highlights one of the major offenses to freedom of expression in Cuba.
"I've met with people who have been subject to arbitrary detention and that's something that I generally have to speak on because I hear from them directly and I know what it means for them," Obama said during the conference, as quoted by ABC News.
Castro, however, denied having such political prisoners in his country.
"What political prisoners? Give me a name, or names, or after this meeting is over you can give me a list of political prisoners and if we have those political prisoners they will be released before tonight ends," Castro responded to Obama's remark.
The Cuban American National Foundation (CANF) thereafter was able to produce a list of 47 verified political prisoners, Fox News Latino reported. CANF added that they will be expecting these prisoners to be released by night fall of that day, pursuant to Castro's statement.
President Castro retaliated by outlining human rights offenses committed by the United States, contending that a country who has failed to provide universal health care, education and equal wages to its citizens has no right to lecture Cuba on human rights.
Castro also argued that Cuba should regain hold over Guantanamo, which he said is "illegally occupied" by the United States.
Despite sparring over the issue of human rights violations, the meeting between Castro and Obama showed signed of progress in reviving cooperation between the two states.
"I affirm that Cuba's destiny will not be decided by the United States or any other nation," President Obama said. "Cuba is sovereign and rightly has great pride, and the future of Cuba will be decided by Cubans, not by anybody else."
According to the New York Times, President Castro, in agreement, said that although "a long and complex path still lies ahead" what is most important is that they have taken the necessary first steps in building a new, rekindled relationship, "one that has never existed between Cuban and the United States."
Barack Obama is embarking on a two-day trip to Cuba, being the first U.S. President to visit Cuba in the last 88 years. The visit follows to the reestablishing of U.S. and Cuba's bilateral relationship in December 2014 after decades of having severed ties.
