Let's not forget that the 'progress and freedom' Castro brought to Cuba were achieved at the cost of other restrictions and an extremely poor economy for many years. I suppose many...those who prospered or had a position of importance...did like him, but many hated him and many died trying to escape Cuba. That says something about trading one repressive regime for another.
Also...it is not a trivial thing that Castro's courting of the Soviets and allowing missles to be installed in 1962, brought the world about as close to a nuclear war as at any time.
Yes...it is time to reassess our relationship with Cuba, but there are many pitfalls to doing so, and I hope it will be undetaken with great care. Cuba is one of the last bastions of Communism, and the Castro influence is still strong.