USA/CUBA – President Obama is to visit Cuba in the coming weeks as part of a broader trip to Latin America, reports say. He will be only the second sitting US president in history to travel to the island, after Calvin Coolidge in 1928.

US Republicans have criticized the visit, saying it should not take place while the Castro family is in power. Washington and Havana restored diplomatic ties last July and the US relaxed travel and trade restrictions after a 54-year freeze. Republican presidential candidates Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, both sons of Cuban migrants, said the visit was a mistake. Asked whether he would go, Mr Rubio said: “Not if it’s not a free Cuba.” Mr Cruz said Mr Obama would be acting “as an apologist”.(BBC)…[+]