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title: Read a Transcript of Obama&#x27;s Press Conference in Havana
description: Here is a transcript of the full event.
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article:published_time: 2016-03-21T20:30:08.000Z
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og:image:alt: President Obama Meets With Cuban President Raul Castro In Havana
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# Read a Transcript of Obama's Press Conference in Havana

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by 

[Ryan Teague Beckwith](https://time.com/author/ryan-teague-beckwith/)


## Ryan Teague Beckwith


Mar 21, 2016 8:30 PM UTC

![President Obama Meets With Cuban President Raul Castro In Havana](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4c75ac228798bacd/69888bdf0b72e3befd6e89e4/516833986.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

U.S. President Barack Obama (R) and Cuban President Raul Castro pose for photographs after greeting one another at the Palace of the Revolution March 21, 2016 in Havana, Cuba. The first sitting U.S. president to visit Cuba in 88 years, Obama and Castro will sit down for bilateral talks and will deliver joint statements to the news media. Chip Somodevilla—Getty Images

U.S. President Barack Obama (R) and Cuban President Raul Castro pose for photographs after greeting one another at the Palace of the Revolution March 21, 2016 in Havana, Cuba. The first sitting U.S. president to visit Cuba in 88 years, Obama and Castro will sit down for bilateral talks and will deliver joint statements to the news media. Chip Somodevilla—Getty Images Chip Somodevilla—Getty Images

by 

[Ryan Teague Beckwith](https://time.com/author/ryan-teague-beckwith/)


## Ryan Teague Beckwith


Mar 21, 2016 8:30 PM UTC

President Obama [met with Cuban President Raúl Castro](http://time.com/4266394/obama-cuba-castro-meeting/) in Havana, Cuba, Monday, where the two held a joint press conference.

Here is a transcript of the full event.

---

> “”

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