Vatican Hopes Pope's Cuba Trip Helps End US Embargo

The pope will spend four days in Cuba before flying to the United States. He is visiting both countries for the first time as pontiff, after Vatican mediation that led to a restoration of ties between Washington and Havana last year.

In an interview with Vatican Television, the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said the Holy See had always opposed the trade and economic embargo against Cuba because it hurt ordinary people most.

"It is hoped ... that a measure like this (ending the embargo) will also bring with it a greater openness from the point of view of freedom and human rights," Parolin said.

He said the Vatican hoped for "a flowering of these fundamental aspects for the life of persons and peoples".

Last month, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the U.S. Congress was unlikely to ever lift a punishing economic embargo on Cuba unless the Communist government improved its human rights record. Cuba fiercely rejects such conditions.

Before resuming relations, the two countries were locked for decades in hostilities that outlived the Cold War.

The comments by Parolin, who is known as the "deputy pope" because he is second only to Francis in the Vatican hierarchy, appeared to be hints that the pope would speak about the embargo as well as about human rights while in Cuba.

Amnesty International said he was visiting Cuba while the island was at "a human rights crossroads".

"Over the past few months, we have seen unprecedented openness when it comes to Cuba's international relations," said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at the rights group.

"However, the country still needs to make progress when it comes to allowing people to peacefully express their views without fear of being harassed, detained or attacked."

Cuba's Communist government has said it has no political prisoners, and that opponents mistakenly consider armed counter-revolutionaries and common criminals as political cases.

Last Sunday, Cuban police detained about 50 people when a predominantly Roman Catholic dissident group known as the Ladies in White led a march in Havana.