--- title: Obama Sends Letter on the First Mail Flight to Cuba description: President Obama replied to a Cuban letter writer that will arrive via the first U.S. mail flight to the country in more than 50 years. canonical: https://time.com/4262664/obama-cuba-letter/ author: Justin Worland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-03-17T14:15:53.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-05T08:49:45.328Z article:section: Politics og:title: Obama Sends Letter on the First Mail Flight to Cuba in More Than 50 Years og:description: "I am looking forward to visiting Havana to foster this relationship" og:url: https://time.com/4262664/obama-cuba-letter/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt653ef9a506ccd738/69888b65428a9e7130cd1d81/barack-obama-letter-to-cuba.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3500 og:image:height: 1969 og:image:alt: Obama laughs while joking about Trump's personal brand of wine as he delivers remarks to supporters at a DNC event at Gilley's Club in Dallas, Texas og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Obama Sends Letter on the First Mail Flight to Cuba in More Than 50 Years twitter:description: "I am looking forward to visiting Havana to foster this relationship" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt653ef9a506ccd738/69888b65428a9e7130cd1d81/barack-obama-letter-to-cuba.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Obama Sends Letter on the First Mail Flight to Cuba in More Than 50 Years > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=75ec683a-a78f-4489-870f-16a9bc329b10&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Inside Obama's Historic Trip to Cuba [Watch (HLS stream): Inside Obama's Historic Trip to Cuba](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/AXTKJkWy.m3u8) (3:07)  _Published 2016-03-21_  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Mar 17, 2016 2:15 PM UTC  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Mar 17, 2016 2:15 PM UTC President Barack Obama [penned a reply](https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2016/03/17/asked-and-answered-sending-direct-mail-cuba-first-time-50-years) to a Cuban letter writer that will arrive via the first U.S. mail flight to the Caribbean country in more than 50 years. The letter comes just days before Obama is scheduled to visit Cuba on the first visit by a U.S. president to the county in nearly 90 years. Obama will meet with Cuban President Raul Castro, attend a state dinner and meet with Cuban dissidents [during the trip](http://fortune.com/2016/03/17/obama-visit-cuba/). The letter writer—76-year-old Ileana R. Yarza—said she had followed Obama’s political ascendency and wished he could have a third term. “Thank you for your kind words,” Obama said in the letter. “I am looking forward to visiting Havana to foster this relationship and highlight our shared values.” ## Transcript [ BLANK_AUDIO ] It's been nearly 90 years since a US president stepped foot in Cuba. It is wonderful to be here. Back in 1928, President Coolidge came on a battleship. It took him three days to get here. It only took me three hours. [ LAUGH ] For the first time ever, Air Force One has landed in Cuba and this is Our very first stop. So, this is a historic visit, and it is a historic opportunity to engage directly with Cuban people. In the fortune agreements and commercial deals, to build new ties between our two people's and for me to lay out our vision for the future that is brighter than our past. 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