In December, the president announced a policy shift toward Cuba that would reestablish diplomatic ties after half a century of mutual hostility. Obama more popular than the Castro brothers in Cuba

Cubans favor President Barack Obama over both Castro brothers, according to a new poll.

In a Univision Noticias/Fusion poll released Wednesday, a majority of Cubans — 80 percent — said they have a positive opinion of the American president.


Their own leaders? Not so much: Only 47 percent have a positive opinion of Cuban President Raul Castro, and 44 percent have a positive opinion of his brother Fidel. Thirty-nine percent said they are satisfied with the current political system, while 53 percent expressed dissatisfaction.

In December, Obama announced a policy shift toward Cuba that would reestablish diplomatic ties between the countries after half a century of mutual hostility. He also said he would push to lift the decades-long embargo on Cuba, though it would take an act of Congress to do so.

Almost all Cubans — 97 percent — think that this shift is good for Cuba, but 58 percent think the policy favors Cuba over the United States. Only 3 percent of Cubans think the U.S. embargo should continue.

On Tuesday, the White House said Obama is scheduled to meet with Raul Castro this week on the margins of the Summit of the Americas in Panama. It will be the first time the two men have met since the president unveiled his plan to normalize relations between the two countries.

In the poll, 89 percent of Cubans said they think Obama should visit Cuba, and 83 percent think that Castro should visit the United States.

The poll, done in collaboration with The Washington Post, was conducted March 17-27 among 1,200 Cubans and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percent.