washington/havana president barack obama meet dissidents president raul castro cuba next month white house say thursday announce historic trip another major step toward end decades animosity former cold war foes first visit u.s. president caribbean nation since 1928 obama meet entrepreneurs people different walk life trip march 21 22 unlikely see fidel castro former president revolutionary leader u.s. officials say white house hop obama trip help accelerate change communist-run island cement progress make watch republicans home complain would give legitimacy cuba oppressive government next month travel cuba advance progress efforts improve live cuban people obama write twitter decades hostility follow cuba 1959 revolution two countries agree 2014 move reopen tie u.s. embargo cuba remain washington frequently criticize havana human right record open cuba diplomatic feat likely form part obama foreign policy legacy along nuclear deal strike another long-time u.s. foe iran officials decide travel cuba rather end obama term would give leverage make progress expand internet access open business opportunities cubans americans obama regularly meet civil society group travel abroad officials say trip would different meet dissidents members civil society include certainly oppose cuban government policies obama deputy national security adviser ben rhodes tell reporters josefina vidal director u.s. affairs cuban foreign ministry say cuban government will talk unite state concern cuba open speak u.s. government topic include human right vidal tell reporters say cuban government want guantanamo bay return cuba embargo lift relations normalize cuban dissidents give cautious welcome trip take advantage opportunity send loud clear message prominent opposition blogger yoani sanchez write website material moral poverty surround us responsibility unite state unite state uphold strict economic embargo cuba 50 years provide cuban government strong propaganda tool washington obama visit likely spark debate campaign nov. u.s. presidential election particularly swing vote state florida many anti-castro cuban-americans live two republican candidates ted cruz marco rubio conservative sons cuban immigrants foreign policy hawk rubio urge obama reconsider trip cite political arrest past year send message oppress cuban people stand oppressors say letter thursday first lady michelle obama accompany husband trip cuba also argentina obama havana visit carry huge symbolic value administration take step expand commerce cuba 90 miles 145 km florida last sit u.s. president visit cuba calvin coolidge tourism surge recently airbnb online home-rental site say u.s. rentals home cuba boom countries agree restore airline flight company range tractor manufacturers telecommunications firm assess market cuba major league baseball discuss hold exhibition game cuban national team tampa bay ray havana march 22 raise possibility obama could throw ceremonial first pitch obama still seek pressure u.s. lawmakers remove decades-old embargo cuba republicans control congress unlikely act soon persistent congressional critic thaw relations cuba rep. ileana ros-lehtinen say trip would reward cuban government deserve pitiful obama reward castros visit cuba condition cuban people get bad say ros-lehtinen cuban-american republican south florida rhodes say expect cuban officials would bring status u.s. military base guantanamo bay trip administration oppose return area communist government white house provide detail group obama would seek meet say unite state would like see freedom assembly speech cuba cuba say political prisoners cuban commission human right national reconciliation dissident group count 80 political prisoners detention fifty-three release around time 2014 agreement normalize relations unite state others arrest last year group say obama meet raul castro dissidents historic trip cuba