Raúl Castro Greets Pope Benedict at Start of Closely Watched Visit Ernesto Malpica, 10, rests with his father, Francisco, in a Santiago, Cuba, park on Monday morning after they traveled seven hours from Camaguey to Santiago for Pope Benedict XVI's visit. SANTIAGO, Cuba - Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Cuba on Monday, welcomed by President Raúl Castro, who gripped the pontiff's hands in greeting but did not kiss his ring. The pope's visit is weighted with anticipation that he will press for more religious freedom and an easing of the authoritarian grip here. It comes 14 years after the historic first papal visit to Cuba by his predecessor, John Paul II, which yielded an era of greater religious expression in the country. The pope, who is often criticized as somewhat distant with his flock, left Mexico after three days there that may best be remembered for his appeal to curb the drug-war violence that has killed 50,000 in the past six years, and for the big black sombrero he wore as he rode to Mass on Sunday in the Popemobile. It was an unusual personal touch for the pope, who works in the shadow of John Paul II, who was especially popular and beloved in Latin America. The pope plans to seek a connection with ordinary Cubans by visiting the Virgin of Charity of Cobre, a tiny wooden icon revered by Cubans of all faiths as a source of good fortune, and he is expected to celebrate and advocate for greater religious freedom in the country. Since Cuba loosened restrictions on religious practice in the early 1990s, the Catholic Church has emerged here as a powerful voice pressing for political and economic reform, including religious freedom. While more than half of Cubans identify as Catholic, though, relatively few regularly attend Mass. Meanwhile, evangelical and Pentecostal churches have grown rapidly here, and Santeria, a belief system mixing African, Caribbean and other religious elements, remains very popular. The highlight of the pope's trip is expected to be large Mass for tens of thousands of people on Wednesday in Revolution Square in Havana, an event that will bear some resemblance to carefully orchestrated political demonstrations. It was not clear how far the pope would go in criticizing the political system here, which he is known to have no taste for, judging by speeches he made as a cardinal denouncing Marxism and authoritarian regimes. Asked about Cuba on his plane on the way to Mexico, he delivered a pointed critique, saying, "Today it is evident that Marxist ideology, in the way it was conceived, no longer corresponds to reality." Cuban officials brushed off his critique, while Cubans on the streets knew nothing about it because it was not reported in the Cuban press. More so than in Mexico, the pope will be wading into a complicated political picture in Cuba, and face expectations from all sides. The Cuban government will expect him to denounce the four-decade-long American embargo of Cuba, which they blame for much of their economic misery, contrary to what a range of independent economists say about the situation. Human rights groups are pushing for the pope to meet with Cuban dissidents. Religious leaders hope that he will press the case for more liberty, such as giving churches permission to run their own schools and broadcast on radio and television. American officials anticipate that he will raise the case of a jailed American government contractor when he meets President Raúl Castro on Tuesday. The pope is also expected to greet Fidel Castro, Raúl's brother, who led the country for decades. President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, who has lately embraced Catholicism, arrived in Cuba suddenly on Saturday night for medical treatment, but Vatican officials have said that there were no plans for the pope to see him. "It's an odd coincidence that puts the pope in an uncomfortable position," Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue, a research group in Washington, said of Mr. Chavez's sudden appearance. A meeting with Chavez would also distract from the pope's main reason for going to Cuba, which is to strengthen the role and influence of the Catholic Church on the island. It would be very strange and awkward for the pope to meet with Chavez but not any Cuban dissidents. Such considerations appeared far from the minds of people putting the finishing touches on sites that the pope will visit in Santiago. Victoria Burnett reported from Santiago, Cuba, and Randal C. Archibold from Havana.