U.S. and Cuba?

The travel ban has been lifted: Cuban americans can return back to zer homeland... for a longer time. Legislators are now working on allowing everyone to go - could this be a hopeful possibility, or is it a strategy to use soft power to change Cuba, to Americanize it? 

Either way, an economic trade deal might be under way. How might these two nations go about doing this? Given that I suspect that Cuba would never sign a free trade agreement, would the U.S. even consider allowing Cuba to take more active part in drafting up an agreement (I assume that most trade agreements are made behind doors without the true representation of the other country)? Probably not. The U.S. can't stand to make agreements with equal partners, or with anyone who would assert more symmetry and equality in relations. 

Even more, is Fidel even alive? Is the gov't trying to protect its own image by preventing the press from saying anything about his condition, whereabouts, or existence? Potentially. 

In any case, one would hope that Cuba could avoid a U.S. elected dictator\"friendly business coordinator" like Batista again, if the gov't were to fall...

Viva el che!