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Since the year 1958, Cuba has been the subject of an arms embargo due to an armed conflict between the Batista regime and rebels. Cuba’s revolutionary government however caught the ire of the US government when it seized US properties. US retaliated by reducing Cuba’s brown sugar import quota. Cuba found its ally in the then Soviet Union when it agreed to buy the sugar rejected by the US.
The alignment of Cuba with the Soviet Union resulted to further restrictions as decided upon by then President John F. Kennedy through an Executive Order. Kennedy however was completely taken in by the Petit H. Upmann cigar which was a product of Cuba. Stories have it that Kennedy asked his press secretary to buy every available Petit H. Upmann cigar before making the extended trade embargo effective. His Press Secretary Pierre Salinger managed to round up about 1,201 pieces of Kennedy’s preferred cigars which guaranteed his enjoyment of it in spite of the restrictions.
This just goes to show how especially appealing Cuban cigars are, that a personal desire for it has to be accommodated first before allowing a law to take effect. This is probably in anticipation of the length of time that such an embargo will take effect. Cuban cigars continue to be illegal in the United States at this time.
Americans who violate this prohibition of buying or bringing Cuban cigars into the country can be penalized through fines and other means depending on specific circumstances surrounding the case. Those who wish to avoid the reach of this law can do so while traveling in other countries since there is no practical way of enforcing such laws beyond US borders. Americans who wish to abide by it wherever they are can opt for quality cigars made in the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, or Honduras
Originally posted on December 2, 2012 @ 1:09 am