Cuban cigar lovers wish embargo would go up in smoke

[Jimmy2]

Cuban cigar lovers wish embargo would go up in smoke

Sunday, March 4, 2007

By RAY SANCHEZ

SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL

HAVANA -- For some Americans, Cuba's annual cigar festival is an enticing, forbidden fruit for which they risk hefty fines for violating the U.S. ban on travel to the island.

"We don't do anything illegal against the government policies," said Prabpeet Singh, 45, a heart surgeon and Stanford University professor from San Jose, Calif. "But I think to visit any country is the basic right of a human being. We are not taking in any contraband. We just enjoy and finish the cigars here and we go back."

Cuba's ninth annual Habanos Festival, which ended Friday night with a lavish $500-a-head banquet, drew more than 1,000 aficionados from more than 40 countries for a sampling of new product lines, tours of factories where the cigars are hand rolled and visits to tobacco plantations hours outside Havana.

No participants were more tight-lipped than the dozens of Americans who slipped onto the island illegally through Canada or Mexico for the five-day celebration of the world's finest cigars. Under Washington's 43-year-old trade embargo, U.S. citizens and residents are prohibited from traveling to the island in an attempt to stem the flow of dollars to the communist government.

Singh, a cardiothoracic surgeon who traveled here with six other doctors, said he has been smoking Cuban cigars for 27 years, longer than he has been poking into the chests of his patients. He insisted he was not breaking the law by spending money in Cuba though admission to all festival events alone was nearly $1,300.

"I don't see it as a violation," he said, echoing other Americans at the festival. "It's a personal right."

While Bush administration officials have remained adamant about their commitment to the embargo and travel ban, many Americans, including members of Congress, have called for easing restrictions. Last week, Sen. Mike Enzi, a Republican from Wyoming, cosponsored a bill that would remove all restrictions for Americans traveling to Cuba. Nine other senators cosponsored the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act.

Embargo 'ineffective'

"I hope the Americans open up to Cuba," said Singh, a regular at the annual cigar festival. "I think over a period of time they will open up."

Another group of Americans at the festival, mostly real estate men and software designers from Arizona, sipped aged Havana Club rum and puffed aged Habanos at the cigar trade fair on Thursday. They declined to give their names or say how they traveled to Cuba.

"We come legally through a group but we can't bring any cigars back," one man said, declining to elaborate. "You don't want to jeopardize the people that sponsored us."

"Take it down," another said of the U.S. embargo. "It doesn't matter if it has worked or not. It's mean spirited and petty."

"The embargo is ineffective because Europe and Canada are pouring billions into here," another American chimed in.

Habanos S.A. is a joint venture between the Cuban government and the Spanish-French tobacco firm Altadis. A third of the 400 million hand-rolled cigars sold in the world each year are Habanos, but they are banned in the United States under the trade sanctions.

Javier Terres, a vice president, said no figures were available on how many Cuban cigars are consumed or sold illegally every year in the United States. Although half of the world's cigars are smoked in the U.S., Cuba has 75 percent of the premium cigar market. Sales of Habanos' premium hand-rolled cigars rose 8 percent to $370 million last year despite public smoking bans around the world, officials said.

The festival included bus trips to one of the island's main tobacco-growing regions in the western province of Pinar del Rio.

Jesus Menendez, 39 and a father of two, has been working in one of the plantations for four years. When asked how much he earned, his boss, standing nearby, quickly interrupted.

"Nine-hundred pesos," the boss said, or about $40, nearly four times the salary for most state workers.

"Nine-hundred pesos," Menendez repeated. "But I can't wait until the end of the month to get paid. I ask for an advance every couple of days. Times are tough."

Asked if he ever smoked a Habanos, Menendez smiled. "Never tasted one. I can't. That's for the people over there," he said, pointing to the foreigners taking the tour.

[Jimmy2]

Rob did you see alot of Americans there in Cuba this year?

[El Presidente]

» Rob did you see alot of Americans there in Cuba this year?

Far less than in previous years. The US travel crackdown has certainly had an effect.

[Cam]

» » Rob did you see alot of Americans there in Cuba this year?

»

» Far less than in previous years. The US travel crackdown has certainly had

» an effect.

All due respect to Bush and his facist party, Nuts. I mean really, Castros on the way out, Cuba is an amazing country that really needs to be accepted by the American government AND public to be understood. I hope soon they ease off, what they are doing cannot really be seen as democratic, stopping people from visiting an island/country which has much to offer culturally. I wonder If any American government officials enjoy Cuban cigars from the Presidential wine cellar and cigar humidor...

Cam -

[habanablue]

as alluded to in the post, the Spanish, Candians investors et al are probably loving the yanks not being there...

[Professor Twain]

I wonder if Dr. Singh will get a letter or a visit... not sure it is wise to be so high profile about this.

Maybe OFAC has a policy of taking it easy on professors. :-)

[Cam]

» as alluded to in the post, the Spanish, Candians investors et al are

» probably loving the yanks not being there...

Yes..

[Jimmy2]

I am not a big fan of Bush latly ( made some mistakes) but to call him and his people a facist party is a joke.

And if it was not for this so called facist party France would be speaking German today.

But since this facist Goverment the USA liberated Europe and France it make's no sense what you said.

And the many lives our country lost to save your country from a facist party called the Nazi's.

[Colt45]

» » » All due respect to Bush and his facist party, Nuts.

You are, of course entitled to your opinion, as am I. I do find it irresponsible to

be so cavalier with the term fascist, though.

And if anyone truly does put Bush in the same category as Hitler, Castro, Hussein,

et al, I'd have no choice but to consider them mentally deficient.

[Colt45]

» Say for example....a war that 70% of a country doesn't want to be in.....

Please, speak for yourself - and don't quote me any poll results or newscast

soundbites.

If you also believe Bush to be a fascist, then you must also believe you live in a

fascist country?

[Jimmy2]

(((Jimmy2, that was 50 years ago. We did a good thing for a great many people but holding it over their heads as a bargaining chip despicable)))

I did not mean for you to think that and for a bargaining chip ?

And i will say no other country (USA ) in the world has sacraficed more people (#'s) to help other country's in the time of need no body.

Fascist USA Gov ? Never was and never will be...

Iraq i agree we should have never went there (Bush was wrong) but we are there now and we must not let the good people down there.

Most of the country now has foreign fighters causing most of the problems for us there they don't belong there to as us the USA.

If the foreign fighters were not there we would have been out of there already and Iran is not helping the matter to they are the Big Problem send these groups weapons.

These foreign fighters and groups dont care about any life just turn on the news and its their in your face every night they are killing innocent people.

[Wiley]

Whether or not you support President Bush (I hate him personally), in my opinion the reason that term doesn't apply well to any term-limited democratically elected official is because you only have to tolerate them for a short period of time. In our case, no US President can be around to annoy people longer than eight years.

[Jimmy2]

:-D good one

[Digi]

» » Say for example....a war that 70% of a country doesn't want to be

» in.....

»

» Please, speak for yourself - and don't quote me any poll results or

» newscast

» soundbites.

»

» If you also believe Bush to be a fascist, then you must also believe you

» live in a

» fascist country?

I certainly am speaking for myself, I'm part of the 70%. Should I just make up some numbers for you and then wave a flag? Better than hard data to some. While I definitely do not think I live in a fascist country and was merely exploiting a line from definition of fascism, I do feel like I'm living less freely now than I was in 2000. I don't believe many people will argue that.

[Jimmy2]

Digi let face it you mean since 2001 and yes since that terrible day things have changed in this country and maybe not for the better.

[Digi]

» Digi let face it you mean since 2001 and yes since that terrible day things

» have changed in this country and maybe not for the better.

Ah, very much a sad truth.

[El Presidente]

You have to love political discussion....everytime I state an opinion I receive a handfull of e-mails labelling me anti-american...

The way I see it you need to judge the essential values, strengths and weaknesses of a country through deeds over an extended period of time. The US passes the test handsomely albeit there have been some monumental political/diplomatic failures. The Cuban embargo is one....pure indefensible ideological hypocrisy.

While I cannot support many US political positions, I don't judge the American people by them. I am a supporter of the US because they believe in essential Christian values, they believe in personal freedoms, opportunity, the right for my daughter to be whatever she wants to be, the equality of all without consideration of race or religion. Sure, people may raise examples where the above are questioned...however it is still a core tenet of US belief and it is part of the Australian ethos.

Australia has also made some monumental foreign policy mistakes. Never forget James how we rolled over/sold out on Timor in the 70's. Played our part in the PNG basketcase which is today. On a smaller scale, one wonders whether our headstrong political/policing actions in the Solomans today is not a case of a cultural superiority complex.

We have all the advantages of not being a super power and hence our mistakes are not held to global scrutiny.

As for France .....imagine if the US Govt sanctioned the bombing of a Greenpeace vessel at port on French soil...as the French did in New Zealand. Imagine if the US tested its Nuclear weapons in the South Pacific. France still interferes, politically and militarily in North Africa....where many believe they continue to act as colonialists driven by nothing more than self interest.

Who else...Russia?....don't like the politics of a neighbour...cut off their oil supply. China....what a great example of religious and social tolerance. Switzerland...how are those Nazi bank accounts going?

So step on up...come one come all. All those with a lilly white arse step forward. I don't know any who pass scrutiny.

[Jimmy2]

Rob you should have your own little spot on 60 minutes here in the state.

A very good write up..

[Colt45]

» Should I just make up some numbers for you and then wave a flag?

No need - you can hang on to your numbers. As a free thinker, I tend not to

believe everything I see on television, or read on the internet.

» The Cuban embargo is one....pure indefensible ideological hypocrisy.

No doubt true, but I would contend that Cubans have suffered under their own

government, much more so than than by the actions of any foreign one.

[El Presidente]

» No doubt true, but I would contend that Cubans have suffered under their

» own

» government, much more so than than by the actions of any foreign one.

I will disagree on this point Ross. They made a mistake (which in private they will tell you...even many of those who supported the revolucion) and they have and continue to pay for it. They don't need nor deserve the worlds only superpower to single them out and kick them in the guts.

The reality is that no single event today would immediately increase Cubans standard of living more, than a lifting of the embargo.

[smokum]

» » The way I see it you need to judge the essential values, strengths and

» weaknesses of a country through deeds over an extended period of time. The

» US passes the test handsomely albeit there have been some monumental

» political/diplomatic failures. The Cuban embargo is one....pure

» indefensible ideological hypocrisy.

» While I cannot support many US political positions, I don't judge

» the American people by them. I am a supporter of the US because they

» believe in essential Christian values, they believe in personal freedoms,

» opportunity, the right for my daughter to be whatever she wants to be, the

» equality of all without consideration of race or religion. Sure, people may

» raise examples where the above are questioned...however it is still a core

» tenet of US belief and it is part of the Australian ethos.

»

» »

»

I like this Rob....though there are many faults...this is still just about the best place to be....although at times...I worry for my kids and what this whole crazy world will be like after I take a dirt nap.

[Colt45]

» They don't need nor deserve the worlds only superpower worlds only superpower

» to single them out and kick them in the guts.

» The reality is that no single event today would immediately increase

» Cubans standard of living more, than a lifting of the embargo.

Points understood and taken. But it's kind of what I'm driving at - if the government

would finally say it hasn't worked out as planned (though that may smack of

outside interference), would it not be over tomorrow, and the next chapter begins?

In a sense, taking care of business from within.

Anyway, I think that's as far as I'll go with all this - I think I'm done.

--RB

[JohnnyTex]

Well put Rob. I'm still a bit fuzzy though. Of course the US has the embargo so Americans cannot buy Cuban products, but I know the Port of C.C here in my town exports to Cuba. Are there only certain products that the US can export to Cuba? I've found it hard to understand how my city gets away with the exports. I've heard things such as electric poles, vegtables or something like that. Don't know where the loop hole is... lol maybe this isn't relevant to the topic.

[El Presidente]

» Points understood and taken. But it's kind of what I'm driving at - if the

» government

» would finally say it hasn't worked out as planned (though that may smack

» of

» outside interference), would it not be over tomorrow, and the next chapter

» begins?

» In a sense, taking care of business from within.

»

» Anyway, I think that's as far as I'll go with all this - I think I'm

» done.

»

» --RB

Ross.

The Govt won't say it. The Gov't is insane and the population competely under control/ under the jackboot. They have no hope of changing the Gov't and can only hope for a slow evolution post Fidel.

They need a hand up mate. A simple policy where the US positions itself as a friend to the Cuban people (lift the embargo on staples of life and travel) and an enemy of its Govt....would do so much good for the common man and if anything, shorten the life of the Communist government.

[El Presidente]

» Well put Rob. I'm still a bit fuzzy though. Of course the US has the

» embargo so Americans cannot buy Cuban products, but I know the Port of C.C

» here in my town exports to Cuba. Are there only certain products that the

» US can export to Cuba? I've found it hard to understand how my city gets

» away with the exports. I've heard things such as electric poles, vegtables

» or something like that. Don't know where the loop hole is... lol maybe this

» isn't relevant to the topic.

Just think of this, how would the economy of Mexico or any other central or South American country cope with a similar US embargo? They would be the same basketcase.

I know there are some primary goods exceptions but I am not sure how they manage to slip through the gaps.