Obama: 'We made it official - I'm going to Cuba'

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US President Barack Obama on Saturday (February 20) announced a historic trip to Cuba that will be another major step toward ending decades of animosity between former Cold War foes.

"We made it official - I'm going to Cuba," said Obama in his weekly address.

In the first visit by a US president to the Caribbean nation since 1928, Obama will meet entrepreneurs and people from different walks of life during the trip on March 21 and 22, but he is unlikely to see Fidel Castro, the former president and revolutionary leader, US officials said.

The White House hopes Obama's trip will help accelerate change on the Communist-run island and cement progress made under his watch, but Republicans at home complained that it would give legitimacy to Cuba's oppressive government.

"When Michelle and I go to Havana next month, it will be the first visit of a US president to Cuba in nearly 90 years. And it builds on the decision I made more than a year ago to begin a new chapter in our relationship with the people of Cuba," said Obama.

After decades of hostility following Cuba's 1959 revolution, the two countries agreed in 2014 to move to reopen ties, but the US embargo on Cuba remains and Washington frequently criticizes Havana's human rights record.

Cuba says it has no political prisoners but the Cuban Commission of Human Rights and National Reconciliation, a dissident group, counts about 80 political prisoners in detention.

53 were released around the time of the 2014 agreement to normalize relations with the United States, but others were arrested last year, the group said.

Josefina Vidal, the director of US affairs for the Cuban Foreign Ministry, said the Cuban government is willing to talk with the United States about its concerns.

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Obama said his trip would be an "opportunity to keep moving forward".

"I'll meet with President Castro to discuss how we can continue normalizing relations, including making it easier to trade and easier for Cubans to access the Internet and start their own businesses. As I did when I met President Castro last year, I'll speak candidly about our serious differences with the Cuban government, including on democracy and human rights. I'll reaffirm that the United States will continue to stand up for universal values like freedom of speech and assembly and religion," said the president.

The opening to Cuba was a diplomatic feat that is likely to form part of Obama's foreign policy legacy along with the nuclear deal he struck with another long-time US foe, Iran.

Officials decided that traveling to Cuba now rather than at the end of Obama's term would give them more leverage to make progress on expanding Internet access and opening up business opportunities for Cubans and Americans.

Obama regularly meets with civil society groups when he travels abroad, and officials said this trip would be no different.

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The White House did not provide details about which groups Obama would seek to meet, and said the United States would like to see more freedom of assembly and speech in Cuba.

The United States has upheld a strict economic embargo on Cuba for more than 50 years, providing the Cuban government with a strong propaganda tool against Washington.

Obama's Havana visit carries huge symbolic value as his administration takes steps to expand commerce with Cuba, only 90 miles (145 km) from Florida. The last sitting US president to visit Cuba was Calvin Coolidge.

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