Obama Meets Cuban-American Leaders Ahead Of Cuba Trip
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- President Barack Obama and the first family are preparing for their trip to Cuba - amid renewed relations between both countries.
The president along with his family are set to arrive in Havana, Cuba on Sunday and will remain there for three days before traveling to Argentina.
During the trip, the president will attend an exhibition baseball game, tour old Havana and visit the city's cathedral where he'll meet Cardinal Jaime Ortega.
On the list is a meeting with Cuban leader Raul Castro on Monday. He's also set to meet entrepreneurs and attend a state dinner.
On Tuesday, he'll directly address the Cuban people from Cuba's National Theater and later meet with members of civil society including dissidents.
Members of Congress and Obama's cabinet are set to join him during the trip - which has not been made by a sitting U.S. president in nearly 90 years.
The president's visit comes days after the U.S. announced another round of policy changes between both nations in sectors like travel, banking and business. This included restoring direct mail service between the U.S. and Cuba.
As of Thursday, a letter from the president was making its way to Cuba via direct mail, which began this week from the United States. Ileana Yarza, 76, wrote to say she supports the president's efforts to bring the two nations closer together.
Before his trip, the president met with Cuban-American leaders from around the United States on Wednesday. The list had business owners to priests to developers.
Among them, were some of South Florida's own including famed music producer Emilio Estefan, Co-founder of MasTec Jorge Mas, Father Fernando Heria from St. Brendan Catholic School and Carlos Saladrigas who is the Chairman the Cuba Study Group.
Saladrigas said the president was very receptive at the meeting that lasted two hours.
Estefan said the meeting - despite differences in opinions had a similar goal.
"I think it was an incredible meeting. I mean what I learned was a lot of diversity opinions. He listened to everybody. Of course, everybody has a different opinion. I like that even though we don't agree on a lot of things about his trip to Cuba, at least you know we share the same hope about making a better future for Cuba," said Estefan.
Click here to read more about U.S.- Cuba Relations.
