No Castro Signature on Cuban Cigar Humidors

[Judi Lynn]

No Castro Signature on Cuban Cigar Humidors
By REUTERS
Published: March 3, 2007
Filed at 3:29 p.m. ET

Corrects number to 400 million from 400,000 cigars in last paragraph


HAVANA (Reuters) - It is the closest you get to a capitalist stock market in communist-run Cuba: dozens of wealthy merchants bidding high stakes for humidors full of premium cigars.

Cuba's annual Habanos festival ended on Friday night with an auction of five ornate humidors of cedar and mahogany stacked with hand-rolled stogies that raised 533,000 euros ($703,560) for the country's health care system.

The five humidors sold like hot cakes even though, for the first time in nine years, they did not bear the signature of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who has not appeared in public since undergoing emergency surgery seven months ago.

The 80-year-old revolutionary has missed the last four annual auctions, but three of his sons attended the lavish $550 a plate gala dinner for a thousand cigar aficionados and retailers from the world over.
(snip)

Cuba produces one third of the 400 million cigars sold each year in the world. Its sales grew 8 per cent to $370 million in 2006, despite growing smoking bans in many countries and U.S. sanctions that ban Cuban cigars in the world's largest market.
(snip/)

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-cuba-cigars.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[MADem]

1. Well, Fidel quit the habit, it really would be a bit hypocritical of him to sign humidors NT

[Judi Lynn]

2. You're right, he did quit a long time ago. Maybe he only continued signing humidors to raise funds

for their medical system. I recall reading something a DU'ers, Say_What posted at another site once, about famous Cuban singer Compay Segundo auctioning off one of his well-known white hats, and giving the money from that to the Cuban medical system in a big event, with Fidel Castro congratulating him.





I remember hearing that he was raised from early childhood by his grandmother who expected him to light HER cigars.

[MADem]

3. Jees, why the hell did this end up in the LOUNGE????

It's a legitimate news story, dealing with the Cuban cigar industry AND economy.

Some decisions escape my understanding.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Absolutely baffling. I just don't get this.

It's definitely not entertainment or lifestyle news.

[MADem]

5. It might not have been "LBN" but it should have shifted to GD, or even

GD Politics (seeing as the Cuban cigar industry is part and parcel of the government).

But lounge? Naaaah....that's for goofy little inside chitchat that is frequently cliquish, not political at all, and if you aren't in on the joke, you don't know what's going on.

Oh well...! I suppose if I smoked, I'd have a cigar...

[ProudDad]

6. If I hadn't quit tobaco

over 20 years ago I would have smoked one of the Cubans I smuggled back in '93...