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Madonna joins in the stream of celebrities visiting Cuba

Aug 17, 2016 | 5:30 AM

HAVANA — Madonna is the latest celebrity to visit Cuba, dancing in a restaurant for her birthday and touring Havana with her family and friends.

The singer arrived in Havana on Monday. Excited crowds have gathered outside the hotel where she is staying in historic Old Havana, but have caught few glimpses of the 58-year-old star.

Fan Taimi Estrada Joba says she hopes to see Madonna perform a concert in Cuba someday. In her words, “We are very happy she came.”

A string of U.S. celebrities has visited Havana as part of a boom in tourism set off by the declaration of detente with the U.S. in December 2014. Cuban state media posted enthusiastic reports about Madonna’s visit and the Foreign Ministry sent a string of tweets welcoming her.