He was the first sitting president to pay a visit to Cuba

In part, Coolidge's trip to Cuba was meant to provide the US president a chance to support Gerardo Machado, the country's president, who was facing fierce public opposition. Machado ran for president in 1924 on a platform of change that included increasing worker pay and safeguarding domestic industry. His plan was to safeguard the interests of everyone, including the Cuban industrial and agricultural producers, the US financial oligarchy, the Spanish major merchants, and the Cuban populace. However, a severe drop in sugar prices between 1927 and 1928 caused his reform attempt to collapse. Such transformation in a neocolonial setting can only be successful at high points in the cycles of export prices for raw materials.

There have been strikes and protests planned by labor and student organizations since the start of the Machado government. In response, the Machado administration launched a campaign of repression that resulted in the incarceration and assassination of numerous important labor and student leaders. Machado was eventually forced to retire in 1933 as a result of the repression.

In his remarks at the conference's January 16, 1928, opening ceremony, Coolidge spent a good deal of time discussing Cuba's development as an independent republic and complemented Machado for having brought the country to a "high and respectable position" (cited in López 2016). Machado was able to move forward with his plans for constitutional revisions to extend his term in office thanks to the cooperation of the US president. Machado was able to increase his power temporarily thanks to clear US support.