Pope arrives in Cuba

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Washington Examiner:

Pope Francis has arrived in Havana this afternoon and starts a historic 10-day visit to Cuba and the United States, according to the Associated Press.

 

Cuban President Raul Castro welcomed Pope Francis in a long speech at the airport. In his speech, Catro said the communist government has "founded an equitable society with social justice" in Cuba and he praised the pope's critiques of the global economic system that has "globalized capital and turned money into its idol," the AP reported.

 

Castro thanked the pope for facilitating negotiations that led to a detente between the United States and Cuba, according to the AP. Castro is also calling for the end of the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba and the return of the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay.

 

The holy leader of the Catholic Church will be in Cuba until Sept. 22 when he departs for Washington. While in Cuba, the Pope could have some politics on his plate, the Associated Press reported.

 

Vatican officials told the Associated Press that the plight of dissidents might come up in private meetings between Francis and the country's leader Raul Castro.

 

The pope has been opposed to the long-standing U.S. trade and travel embargo. New regulations issued on Friday are intended to increase travel and trade between the U.S. and Cuba.

 

The regulations are part of an effort by the Obama administration to normalize relations between the two countries.

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The Pope comes calling.