havana president barack obama arrive small cheer crowd sunday start historic visit cuba open new chapter u.s. engagement island communist government decades hostility former cold war foes three-day trip first u.s. president cuba 88 years culmination diplomatic open announce obama cuban president raul castro december 2014 end estrangement begin cuban revolution oust pro-american government 1959 historic opportunity engage directly cuban people obama tell staff newly reopen u.s. embassy gather hotel first stop arrive afternoon group cubans watch motorcade balconies backyards obama drive downtown small crowd cubans brave tropical downpour tight security chant viva obama viva fidel president family leave eat dinner rundown neighborhood obama abandon longtime u.s. policy try isolate cuba want make policy shift irreversible even republican win white house nov. election major obstacles remain full normalization tie democratic president critics say visit premature u.s. officials concede trip may yield immediate concessions cuba right economic freedom sunday one bystander shout blockade reference u.s. embargo place 54 years remain top irritant cubans obama respond shout raise right hand ask congress rescind embargo block republican leadership underscore ideological divide persist washington havana cuban police back hundreds pro-government demonstrators break regular march lead dissident group ladies white detain 50 people hours obama arrive obama arrive havana jose marti international airport air force one presidential jet unite state america emblazon across fuselage sight almost unimaginable long ago island 90 miles 145 km coast florida meet cuban foreign minister bruno rodriguez top cuban official present formal welcome ceremony monday obama meet cuban president presidential palace u.s. officials appear unfazed castro absence airport welcome even though personally meet greet pope francis september republican presidential front-runner donald trump tweet obama visit big deal get respect obama hold talk castro brother fidel revolutionary leader speak entrepreneurs monday meet privately dissidents address cubans live state-run media attend exhibition baseball game tuesday trip carry symbolism substance decades hostility washington havana travel first lady michelle obama mother daughters sasha malia obama take sight colonial-era neighborhood give tour havana 18th century cathedral cardinal jaime ortega play role secret talk lead rapprochement 15 months ago obamas din san cristobal restaurant run afro-cuban part cautious open private enterprise since fidel castro hand power brother 2008. trip make obama first sit american president visit cuba since calvin coolidge arrive battleship 1928 may help chip away barriers u.s.-cuba trade travel since rapprochement two side restore diplomatic tie sign commercial deal telecommunications schedule airline service obama use executive authority loosen trade travel restrictions advance outreach cuba one top foreign policy priorities along iran nuclear deal cuba still complain u.s. control naval base guantanamo bay 1934 lease agreement havana say long valid obama say discussion havana unhappy u.s. support dissidents anti-communist radio tv program beam cuba speak reporters foreign trade foreign investment minister rodrigo malmierca díaz say u.s. president arrival obama regulatory move go right direction add reach normalization relations blockade still effect americans turn criticize one-party rule repression political opponents issue aid say obama would address publicly privately obama critics home accuse make many concessions little return cuban government use trip take unearned victory lap obama first word cuban people come message twitter social media service cubans use regularly government restrictions internet access ¿qué bolá cuba say use cuban slang touch look forward meet hear directly cuban people little progress main issue expect obama castro meet monday state dinner even instead highlight likely obama speech live cuban television tuesday also meet dissidents attend exhibition baseball game major league baseball tampa bay ray cuba national team obama cuba historic visit