Thread: US to Ease Cuba Embargo and Sanctions

Originally Posted by Bruno

Looking at it more political, I'd say this is part of a perfect storm that is about to hit Russia really, really hard. russia has been an ally of cuba again ever since Putin came into office. The US cosying up to Cuba is sure to remove that ally from Russia. the US is close and Russia is far away. Someone is also driving down oil prices like mad, causing the Ruble to go into free fall and rapidly souring the Russian Economy, because Russians depend on oil export to prop up their currency.

If I were a betting man, my money would be on this being one of the ploys to make Putin lose his Russian backers by htting them where it hurts: in the money pocket and their ally portfolio. I don't think it is a coincidence that these 2 things happen almost simultaneously.

I may be wrong, But I think russia pulled out and disavowed Cuba long ago.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

I may be wrong, But I think russia pulled out and disavowed Cuba long ago.

That is my recollection as well. While Russia pulled their support, a lot of other countries continued to do business with Cuba, so it isn't as if they were left destitute. Living in South Florida it will be interesting to see what effect this will have on us here.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

That is my recollection as well. While Russia pulled their support, a lot of other countries continued to do business with Cuba, so it isn't as if they were left destitute. Living in South Florida it will be interesting to see what effect this will have on us here.

The main industry is Cuba is tourism,Is a go to place for the rest of the world.
I have been to Cuba (leagally thru Canada)Is a magnificent Country with great people,great food, great fishing.

I have enjoyed Cuban cigars for many, many years, and still do. Since the embargo there has been some risks involved for Cuban cigar lovers, in the U.S., to enjoy the cigars. Confiscation obviously and more importantly having reliable sources and knowing without question that what you are smoking is indeed genuine is of course key. Counterfeiters have profited enormously, especially in the last 10+ years, marketing to the U.S. primarily out of huge Swiss warehousing systems which also store and ship legitimate Cuban cigars for many of worlds best online suppliers. The fake dress boxes, bands, seals, factory stamps and Cuban date codes will fool the best buyers, especially novices who could not tell a real
Cuban cigar from garbage. This market for the fakers is worth millions of dollars and will no doubt continue even when Habanos S.A. controls the market in the U.S. for Habanos cigars. Experienced Cuban cigar lovers can tell a Cuban cigar without issue by sight and smell alone without having to light the cigar. Cuban soil is unique in the world and the tobacco produced there is some of the very finest in the world.

The consensus among some of the largest supplies of Habanos cigars and many of the worlds most famous collectors and Cuban cigar lovers in general has been to stock up on your favorites. With the embargo lifted the concern is the demand in the U.S. for Cuban cigars will trigger production in Cuba to be severly compromised for several years producing
cigars, again, with draw problems because the time will not be taken to utilize the draw machines that took so long to get into general use in Cuba will be ignored, and worse, the maturation process and aging process will be compromized as well initially because of demand. An additonal concern is Cuban tobacco crops that would have been considered sub standard now and limited to cigars and cigarettes consummed in Cuba will find it's way into
the U.S. market. Yet another consideration is the resurgence of the dreaded tobacco beetle in the islands cigars. It has not been that long since Habanos S.A. imposed strict QC in terms of freezing to control and kill the beetles eggs. Prior to freezing, tobacco bales were subjected to treatment by Phostoxin in pressure chambers to kill beetles, larva and eggs. This was sometimes hit and miss. It was common practice here in the U.S. for Cuban cigar lovers to segregate new boxes from your regular supply for a period of time to insure no
beetle problems. I regularly would freeze new boxes to about 14 below for 7 to 10 days.

Before any distribution of Cuban cigars in the U.S. will be lengthy legal battle over "Brand" names. Most non-cuban cigar producing countries began marketing the brand names
unique to Cuban cigars in the market.

A concern about the embargo lifting that concerns the "green" ecological side of me worries about the potential for abuse of one of, if not the last, un-molested living reef systems in Cuban waters that has been protected in Cuban waters. There are species surviving in that sole reef system that have completely dissapeared from the rest of our planet.


I wish for the very best for the Cuban people in all of this political drama.

Enough of my rambling. My cigars are my last vice and I find a good Habanos cigar to be
good medicine for me at one a day.

Oh, did I say to stock up!

The only reason the embargo has continued so long is the Cuban American Community in Florida. The politicians are afraid of them. Only recently opinions have softened probably because many of the old ones are dying off.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

I may be wrong, But I think russia pulled out and disavowed Cuba long ago.

They still support Cuba Putin Writes Off $32 Billion of Cuba's Debts to Russia - The Wire .

Bob