Pope: "Heartfelt affection" for all Cubans (AP) SANTIAGO, Cuba - Pope Benedict XVI says he has "heartfelt affection" for all Cubans, both on the island and in exile and expressed sympathy with the "just aspirations and legitimate desires" of all Cubans, including prisoners. The pontiff said in his arrival speech that Cubans are ever present in his heart and prayers, "wherever they may be." He spoke in the eastern city of Santiago, where he is kicking off a three-day tour. Cuban President Raul Castro greeted him at the airport, just days after Benedict declared the island's Marxist system outdated. Benedict is on a mission to renew the faith in Latin America's least Catholic country. Less than 10 percent of the population is observant. Benedict said he carries the sufferings and joys of islanders in his heart, and specifically mentions inmates among others. But he did not single out "political prisoners" as his predecessor John Paul II did during his 1998 visit to Cuba. Benedict is also urging more progress in relations between the church and a government that was officially atheist until the early 1990s. And he's criticizing the excesses of capitalism, a more palatable message for Cuban authorities. The pope is to celebrate a huge outdoor Mass later Monday in Santiago's main square.