Post-Castro Havanas

What will happen to the Cuban ciagr industry if Fidel Castro doesn’t return to power? James Leavey asks some interested parties

Just before Fidel Castro’s 80th birthday in August 2006, an American-based anti-Castro website urged Cuba's exiled dissidents to “Break out the cigars, Fidel's dying.” How ironic, given that the revolutionary Cuban leader who thumbed his nose at America for 47 years quit smoking two decades ago, for health reasons.

Fidel may no longer smoke Havanas but in 2004 he announced that he was happy to encourage everyone else to do so, especially his enemies. Around the same time, Air Cubana was one of the world's last airlines that allowed smoking – cigarettes, not cigars, the smoke from which was known as Russian air conditioning.

When I was in Havana earlier this year for the annual Habanos Cigars Festival it was rumoured that the Cuban minister who initiated Cuba’s smoking ban in January 2005 had since gone missing.

Perhaps it was because he announced the ban just before the Cigars Festival, to the anger of the world’s tobacco trade who had just flown in for the festival.

In January 2006, Cuba’s smoking ban was still in place in all of its planes and many of its hotels, bars and night clubs, although confusion reigned and the usual dollar bribe overcame most obstacles to an uninterrupted public smoke.

So now that the ailing Comandante has handed Cuba’s leadership to his younger brother, Raul, how will this affect the world’s cigar sector?

“Naturally there has been much speculation about a post-Castro Cuba and of course there are many differing views about what will occur,” s.....

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By James Leavey

Section : Cigar Trends

Page number : 7

Published in Cigar Buyer Issue 9 on 18/09/2006.

This article is 51 months old and some information provided may be time sensitive. Please check all details of events, tours, opening times and other information before travelling or making arrangements.



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	Post-Castro Havanas What will happen to the Cuban ciagr industry if Fidel Castro doesn’t return to power? James Leavey asks some interested parties Just before Fidel Castro’s 80th birthday in August 2006, an American-based anti-Castro website urged Cuba's exiled dissidents to “Break out the cigars, Fidel's dying.” How ironic, given that the revolutionary Cuban leader who thumbed his nose at America for 47 years quit smoking two decades ago, for health reasons. Fidel may no longer smoke Havanas but in 2004 he announced that he was happy to encourage everyone else to do so, especially his enemies. Around the same time, Air Cubana was one of the world's last airlines that allowed smoking – cigarettes, not cigars, the smoke from which was known as Russian air conditioning. When I was in Havana earlier this year for the annual Habanos Cigars Festival it was rumoured that the Cuban minister who initiated Cuba’s smoking ban in January 2005 had since gone missing. Perhaps it was because he announced the ban just before the Cigars Festival, to the anger of the world’s tobacco trade who had just flown in for the festival. In January 2006, Cuba’s smoking ban was still in place in all of its planes and many of its hotels, bars and night clubs, although confusion reigned and the usual dollar bribe overcame most obstacles to an uninterrupted public smoke. So now that the ailing Comandante has handed Cuba’s leadership to his younger brother, Raul, how will this affect the world’s cigar sector? “Naturally there has been much speculation about a post-Castro Cuba and of course there are many differing views about what will occur,” s..... To read the rest of this article you can buy this issue or subscribe to Cigar Buyer to have every issue delivered direct to your door. By James Leavey Section : Cigar Trends Page number : 7 Published in Cigar Buyer Issue 9 on 18/09/2006. Subscribe Buy this issue More from this issue Preview other issues This article is 51 months old and some information provided may be time sensitive. Please check all details of events, tours, opening times and other information before travelling or making arrangements. Copyright Cigar Buyer © 1999-2010. All rights reserved. To use or reproduce part or all of this article please contact us for details of how you can do so legally.