Backdrop of Obama Photo Causes a Stir

Hello, Che
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Mar 21, 2016 2:02 PM CDT
Backdrop of Obama Photo Causes a Stir
Backdropped by a monument depicting Cuba's revolutionary hero Ernesto "Che" Guevara, President Obama listens to the U.S. national anthem in Havana.   (AP Photo/Dennis Rivera)

It was supposed to be a routine photo op as part of President Obama's trip to Cuba, but instead it lit up Twitter, reports the Washington Post. The reason? During a wreath-laying ceremony at the José Martí Memorial in Havana, Obama was positioned in front of a giant mural of Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara, who helped Fidel Castro seize control of the country. Conservative sites in particular have pounced on the juxtaposition, and a Florida lawmaker wondered whether Cuban officials placed Obama there on purpose. All of which prompted Slate to dig up a photo of Ronald Reagan speaking in front of a bust of Lenin. (More President Obama stories.)

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