The Economist: Cuba is heading for disaster, unless its regime changes drastically

[LizardGizmo]

A data rich analysis of Cuba's collapsing economic/social/political reality (a paywall-free link):

https://archive.ph/84d3A#selection-1283.0-1315.719

[Reuben]

Great article. I read another article that stated Russian use to help Cuba with resources and that led to a facade that things were a little bit better, but those resources no longer come Cuba's way. The country and the poor Cuban people are left with what the country truly is under communist rule!!!  So Sad

[NYGuido]

Thanks so much for posting this article, which really broke things down to a fine powder in a way I haven’t seen in a single source. Things don’t seem as bad as we think they are—they seem WORSE! And that’s saying something. 

After the NGO report about prisoners rolling cigars, folks starting considering the ethics and morality of supporting Habanos. But this article makes it even starker. Habanos makes money for the very government that refuses to provide for its people. The money doesn’t trickle down. It doesn’t make it to those who need it. It doesn’t clothe the needy or feed starving children. It enriches those who already have everything but choose to give the people nothing. 

I know we all love Cuban cigars on this forum. And I know that the prison report, HSA pricing, QC issues, etc., have made some of us reconsider whether and how to consume these magnificent products. But this article shows the real reason that maybe it’s time to stop or at least dramatically curtail our purchasing: the very people who grow, harvest, roll, band, and box Cuban cigars are starving and dying under the yoke of those who profit from their enterprise without any modicum of appreciation or basic human care. 

I’ve only gotten into Cuban cigars relatively recently, but articles like this—SUFFERING like this—coupled with increasingly great new world alternatives may have me finally making a change to what I add to my humidor from here on out. 

[El Presidente]

I have mentioned this on our FOH Discord sessions. There are several within within our industry that don't see it lasting 12 months. I am not quite sure. My bet was 24 months. 

[JPark3]

The sacking of Alejandro Gil is yet another example. The changes Cuba needs are far too drastic for the regime to maintain power and they can't keep scapegoating people. They failed to evolve and became too reliant on being a propped up state. With the pressure on Venezuela, I don't see things lasting much longer, either. 

Seeing the video of Diaz-Canel snapping at a citizen just for saying she doesn't have a mattress tells you everything.

[benfica_77]

This was an excellent read. Very succinct but also very dire. The collapse of the economy would not bode well for the cigar industry. 

[my happy place]

A Western diplomat says that “most Cubans with get-up-and-go have got up and gone.”

The brain-drain hits hard.

[unaslob]

4 hours ago, El Presidente said:

I have mentioned this on our FOH Discord sessions. There are several within within our industry that don't see it lasting 12 months. I am not quite sure. My bet was 24 months. 

So what does month 13 look like or 25? Perhaps a topic for another thread? I’ve wondered what a post fall of communist Cuba is going to look like and what that time line would look like. 10 years just another Caribbean island with a Sandals (not a bad thing. I like Sandals).   

[MrBirdman]

2 hours ago, unaslob said:

So what does month 13 look like or 25?

This is, to me, a significant impediment to change right now. You can convince people to leave the Titanic easily enough, but only if there’s some kind of lifeboat to jump into. Otherwise people usually will take their chances, even on a sinking ship.