Habanos S.A. Confirms Prison Laborers Are Rolling Cuban Cigars

[LizardGizmo]

Yikes...

From Halfwheel:
Habanos S.A. replied with the following statement, published in full:

According to reports from Tabacuba, the organization responsible for the cigar rolling industry, the main objective of this plan is to provide professional training to this group of inmates, enabling their future integration into the workforce. The participation in this program, Tabacuba adds, involves learning an artisanal trade in a sector in which Cuba is the global benchmark—not only because of its tobacco, but also due to the professionalism and expertise of those who work in it.

Lastly, the industry points out that participation in this program is voluntary, and inmates receive incentives and prison benefits for their work. Regarding production, Tabacuba concludes: “the essential purpose of the program is training, and the production in these centers—which have the same resources and quality control standards as the factories—is symbolic.”

https://halfwheel.com/habanos-s-a-confirms-prison-labors-are-rolling-cuban-cigars/454965/

[ha_banos]

And people, cigar people don't know what the state of things are in Cuba. Some folks looking forward to trips in the new year. Let's hope these posts spread some more news so at least people are going informed and prepared. 

As they say, desperate times call for...

[CrazyIvan]

Perhaps the real twang is the forced labor we found along the way.

 

[LizardGizmo]

I'm still wrapping my head around why Habanos would comment at all...

For the regime - via they're sales and marketing partner - to call prison labor "symbolic" and suggest that it's optional and forward-thinking is just the most insane thing I've ever seen in a press release.

These are the same folks telling us the Vintage 10 Fundadores have been aged ten years... (Among piles of other BS through the years.)

[Grimlock]

Do prisoners in the USA make $125 a month?

[ElLoboLoco]

6 minutes ago, Grimlock said:

Do prisoners in the USA make $125 a month?

I don’t think so. Cuba is on the cutting edge of human rights of criminals.

Bless them.

[MickVanWinkle]

What’s the box code we are looking for here? Wonder if they offer a factory tour?

[smashed]

Interesting article

[Fireball]

Just when I thought the Cuban government couldn’t disappoint me anymore. 

[SCgarman]

The word "voluntary" is Cuban gaslighting at it's finest. Who are they trying to BS?

[chris12381]

We still don't know if these "convict cigars" are intended for domestic consumption or for export.

[El Presidente]

15 hours ago, chris12381 said:

We still don't know if these "convict cigars" are intended for domestic consumption or for export.

La Corona factory being involved, Habanos S.A (nothing to do with domestic) making a public statement. It doesn't look good.

 

 

[Salomones]

What Boxcode do they have?  This underscores my experience on the island.😂 Provincial factories have long been rolling almost exclusively for factories in Havana.

[Fugu]

Were it not for dealing with Cuba here - truth be told, similar is not that unusual for European prisons. Prisoners employed in production, while earning a little money (any gains are used to cover the tremendous costs of imprisonment). They may even receive professional education in prison (re-socialisation).

As for ‘criminals’ - for Cuba, we may not forget that a great many, if not most inmates are politicals. I’d take no issue in my cigar having been rolled by a system-critics or dissident - as long as it draws right. 😅

[LizardGizmo]

11 hours ago, Fugu said:

Were it not for dealing with Cuba here - truth be told, similar is not that unusual for European prisons. Prisoners employed in production, while earning a little money (any gains are used to cover the tremendous costs of imprisonment). They may even receive professional education in prison (re-socialisation).

 

As for ‘criminals’ - for Cuba, we may not forget that a great many, if not most inmates are politicals. I’d take no issue in my cigar having been rolled by a system-critics or dissident - as long as it draws right.

European prisoners are air-conditioned, educated, fed well and I’m sure have strict labor laws. If we were to compare the two, I’d say European prisoners are treated like kings.

 

[VeguerosMAN]

Thug Life cigars - great marketing theme.

[Hoosh]

7 hours ago, Fugu said:

…I’d take no issue in my cigar having been rolled by a system-critics or dissident - as long as it draws right. 😅

Which, we all know, may or may not happen. Perhaps now we know why?!  🙂

[chris12381]

13 hours ago, El Presidente said:

La Corona factory being involved, Habanos S.A (nothing to do with domestic) making a public statement. It doesn't look good. 

Fair point.  👍🏼 

[Fugu]

9 hours ago, LizardGizmo said:

European prisoners are air-conditioned, educated, fed well and I’m sure have strict labor laws. If we were to compare the two, I’d say European prisoners are treated like kings.

Absolutely. But you misread my post. That wasn’t meant as a comment made regarding, let alone playing down, conditions in Cuba. Quite the contrary. My statement is directed toward those comments (perhaps more so referring to an earlier thread on the matter) who are scoffing at prison labour and appear generally appalled by prisoner work per se. And how at all prison-made products could ever be marketed to the world.

We all have come across prison-derived products one way or another in our lives.

[LizardGizmo]

3 hours ago, Fugu said:

Absolutely. But you misread my post. That wasn’t meant as a comment made regarding, let alone playing down, conditions in Cuba. Quite the contrary. My statement is directed toward those comments (perhaps more so referring to an earlier thread on the matter) who are scoffing at prison labour and appear generally appalled by prisoner work per se. And how at all prison-made products could ever be marketed to the world.

 

We all have come across prison-derived products one way or another in our lives.

I did misread it - my bad. Understand and completely agree.

[Hoosh]

3 hours ago, Fugu said:

We all have come across prison-derived products one way or another in our lives.

Every license plate on a vehicle that has a Virginia (USA) tag is made by an inmate in the correctional system. 

Here

 

[bmac]

I’m all for rehabilitation but somehow I feel this is exploitation. Habanos S.A. has positioned itself as a luxury item in the worldwide market and charging exorbitant prices on this premise. To have a captive workforce even if small produce their product is distasteful to me.

[yuppie]

Saw the funniest joke today:

What box codes are rolled by the prisoners?

AIUDA MAY 25

[El Presidente]

2 hours ago, Hoosh said:

Every license plate on a vehicle that has a Virginia (USA) tag is made by an inmate in the correctional system. 
 

Here

I think it was Mike who said yesterday:

"The "Montecristo Slammer"  is just around the corner 

 

[JohnS]

I must say, I am quite taken aback by all this. I don't quite know what to make of it right now as this news is quite a surprise. 

As an analogy, I plan to visit the Lanson Champagne House in Reims, France in two weeks. If they tell me then that their product, produced since 1760 (so pre-dating the French Revolution) will now be made by convicted criminals, I wouldn't necessarily think that their Black Label will now be an improvement in comparison to what I've enjoyed in the past, that's for sure!