Another big step towards relaxing relations between the US and Cuba has been taken as the White House announced on 18 February it would make an official state visit to Cuba, which will be attended by US President Barack Obama and his wife on 21 and 22 March. The announcement follows earlier attempts to re-establish ties between the US and Cuba, that have not had friendly relations ever since the Communist Castro's took over in Cuba. The last time an US President made a visit to Cuba was 88 years ago. The announcement has been criticised in the US by Republicans in particular, that currently dominate both the Congress and the House of Representatives. Marcio Rubio and Ted Cruz, both with Cuban backgrounds, and current contenders for the Republican nomination for the Presidential Elections, stated they would not seek to normalise relations with Cuba as long as it is not a free country.

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Historical timelines of US-Cuba relations can be found here and here. Possible reasons for the relaxations are explained here.