The end of the embargo?

[jedipastor]

I hope your right, Rob. For the sake of the people of Cuba, I truly do.

[Vetteman]

outside of Mexico and the nut in Venezuela, the American populace probably can't name more than 3 countries in total.

Not sure where you hail from, but my opinion of the American populace is a bit higher than yours.

And while the FL ex-pat bloc is aging out, and the younger cuban-americans don't have the same hatred of Castro, I think they are still a formidable obstacle. You have people like Martinez, Ros-Lehtinin, and others in Congress who have shown no inclination to soften their positions. I am sure Obama is doing more than recent Presidents behind the scenes, but I don't see the embargo ending anytime soon. There is an a election coming up in 2012, and I just don't see Cuba as a priority.

[Esteban77]

The Cuban Govt is to blame for the repression. We shouldn't forget that. Freedom will only come with Cuban Govt change. The lifting of the embargo will provide the opportunity to fully exploit the freedom. They need to go hand in hand.

Thank you El Presidente for stating the truth. I appreciate your honesty.

[asuavea1]

Mr. Prez, is this your subtle way of saying to us to stock up on cubans before the demand sky rockets and quality will decrease?

+1.....well?

[laficion]

I hope on the other hand that they manage to keep their identity and not go the route as other Western countries with starbucks, wallmarts and mcdonalds filling every street.

I'm all for the Cubans in keeping their culture & Identity but also on the other hand,

Wallmart wouldn't be so bad, for the moment, there's nothing.

Mc Donalds is not the greatest thing, but it would be much better then their " RAPIDO ".

Starbucks could at least boost back the dying Cuban coffee Industry, Cuban coffee is one of the best in the

world. Of course that's if Starbuck can leave REAL coffee alone......... BUT,

I just hope that the Cuban will not let Cuban tobacco fall into the hands of NC owners or producers, and keeps

them as far away from Cuban tobacco as possible, or else, gone are our PUROS.

Back to " Clear Havanas", a bastard mix of different tobaccos with cuban tobaccos making up the better part

for these American brands like,( remember, White Owl, Murials, Gold Label, King Edwards , etc etc etc.

Back with sweeteners in the tobacco, dark coating of wrappers to make them look as Maduro, back with those

horrible Candela wrappers, If you look it up, you'll see that, before the embargo, the US was never a big

importer of Havana cigars,( I mean finished & boxed product) However, they were the biggest buyers of bulk

tobacco,for them to mix, to transform, to roll outside of Cuba, and becoming one big American Monopoly.

I'll go anyday for an inconsistent Great Cuban then a very consistent tasteless and boring NC.

If the embargo ends, The US would be a great thing for the Cubans and a great relief for them.

However, on the cigar front, well, history has always a bad way of repeating itself.

We'll just have to wait and see & ....... hope.

[BradNC]

outside of Mexico and the nut in Venezuela, the American populace probably can't name more than 3 countries in total.

Wilkey

[mazolaman]

I'm all for the Cubans in keeping their culture & Identity but also on the other hand,

Wallmart wouldn't be so bad, for the moment, there's nothing.

Mc Donalds is not the greatest thing, but it would be much better then their " RAPIDO ".

Starbucks could at least boost back the dying Cuban coffee Industry, Cuban coffee is one of the best in the

world. Of course that's if Starbuck can leave REAL coffee alone......... BUT,

I just hope that the Cuban will not let Cuban tobacco fall into the hands of NC owners or producers, and keeps

them as far away from Cuban tobacco as possible, or else, gone are our PUROS.

Back to " Clear Havanas", a bastard mix of different tobaccos with cuban tobaccos making up the better part

for these American brands like,( remember, White Owl, Murials, Gold Label, King Edwards , etc etc etc.

Back with sweeteners in the tobacco, dark coating of wrappers to make them look as Maduro, back with those

horrible Candela wrappers, If you look it up, you'll see that, before the embargo, the US was never a big

importer of Havana cigars,( I mean finished & boxed product) However, they were the biggest buyers of bulk

tobacco,for them to mix, to transform, to roll outside of Cuba, and becoming one big American Monopoly.

I'll go anyday for an inconsistent Great Cuban then a very consistent tasteless and boring NC.

If the embargo ends, The US would be a great thing for the Cubans and a great relief for them.

However, on the cigar front, well, history has always a bad way of repeating itself.

We'll just have to wait and see & ....... hope.

The picture you paint of these past cigars is horrific!

I am generaly a bit pessimistic about what will happen to our cigars after the end of the embargo.

I would imagine the likes of Hunters and Frankau will retain their priority status,but I find it hard to see how the upsurge in demand could not lead to a drop in quality.

We saw this in recent times when there was an upsurge,the quality plummeted,and is only coming back now IMO.

I'm hoping with you!

[mazolaman]

Unless, of course, the people of Cuba, like in other places, want those Starbucks, Walmarts, and Mcdonalds.

Then I hope they get as many as they want.

I'm not so sure that the Cuban people will get much of a say in these decisions.

I can't see there being many referenda on "do we want mcdonalds in every town"

In seriousness,a refreshing aspect of Havanna is the lack of those monolithic companies that are everywhere else in the world.

In fact,I think we in Britain should have referenda on whether we want those companies on every street corner,it would be interesting to see the result.

I don't recall the Russian people getting much of a say in things when they supposedly moved into capitalism from communism.

Plus ca change!

[Ginseng]

Not sure where you hail from...

Well, I've lived almost my whole life in these United States. Thirty nine years and counting. I grew up in New England and have lived on the East Coast since graduating from state university. My family came here as immigrants chasing the American dream and we worked hard over 7 years to earn our citizenship. I've also spent a number of years in the educational establishment: time in the classrooms teaching and observing from preschool to college at the graduate level. If you witnessed the quality of reasoning and writing I've seen that passes for acceptable work at a Research 1 institution, you might find it hard to be as charitable. So that's where I'm coming from.

I reckon I've earned the privilege and the right to carry an opinion about myself and my fellow Americans derived from direct experience in the American educational system and in life more generally. Now I certainly didn't mean to ruffle any feathers, but if I were fat (well, fatter), I'd reserve the right to share my thoughts on fatness too. Alright, I'm getting fat, but I'm new at this so I haven't got much to say yet.

And, if you think my comments mean I don't love this country or that I don't think it's the finest nation in the world, well, then we don't really understand each other.

Please feel free to contact me via PM if you have other thoughts you'd like to share or if you want to know more about how I came to my perspectives on life and the American dream and let's leave this thread for what Prez meant it to be. I really would welcome it. Being new here in NoVa, I smoke a lot of cigars all by my lonesome.

Wilkey

[mykeuva]

I'm not so sure that the Cuban people will get much of a say in these decisions.

I can't see there being many referenda on "do we want mcdonalds in every town"

In seriousness,a refreshing aspect of Havanna is the lack of those monolithic companies that are everywhere else in the world.

In fact,I think we in Britain should have referenda on whether we want those companies on every street corner,it would be interesting to see the result.

I don't recall the Russian people getting much of a say in things when they supposedly moved into capitalism from communism.

Plus ca change!

Of course the Cuban people will get a say, just like all the other people have a say in regards to these companies that "are everywhere else in the world."

They will get a say by voting with their wallets. If the Cuban people don't want a McDonalds "in every town," then they will not purchase McDonalds. Last I checked, companies like McDonalds, Starbucks, and Walmart operate for profit. They don't simply build stores and run them at a loss just so they can laugh at people having to deal with their stores around the world. If the Cuban people aren't buying McDonalds products, McDonalds isn't going to keep building new stores "in every town" just for fun.

So yes, the Cuban people, just like the British, and the Serbs, and the Russians, and the French, etc. etc. all have a say in regards to these companies. And so far, they have all voted overwhelmingly in favor of these companies with their wallets.

[El Presidente]

Of course the Cuban people will get a say, just like all the other people have a say in regards to these companies that "are everywhere else in the world."

They will get a say by voting with their wallets. If the Cuban people don't want a McDonalds "in every town," then they will not purchase McDonalds. Last I checked, companies like McDonalds, Starbucks, and Walmart operate for profit. They don't simply build stores and run them at a loss just so they can laugh at people having to deal with their stores around the world. If the Cuban people aren't buying McDonalds products, McDonalds isn't going to keep building new stores "in every town" just for fun.

So yes, the Cuban people, just like the British, and the Serbs, and the Russians, and the French, etc. etc. all have a say in regards to these companies. And so far, they have all voted overwhelmingly in favor of these companies with their wallets.

Nothing wrong with Maccas in Havana. I am sure they would have the sense not to put them in the Historic zones.

Best part of Maccas would be teaching a whole new generation of young Cubans to work hard in modern systems ...without having to steal

[laficion]

Nothing wrong with Maccas in Havana. I am sure they would have the sense not to put them in the Historic zones.

I wouldn't mind working at the " El Rapido " across the street from the H. Upmann factory, Really !!!!

[Colt45]

Nothing wrong with Maccas in Havana. I am sure they would have the sense not to put them in the Historic zones.

Best part of Maccas would be teaching a whole new generation of young Cubans to work hard in modern systems ...without having to steal

Along with that, the need for other associated businesses - Cuban beef, poultry, and fish. Bakeries for the necessary bread / buns. Cheese,

vegetables, potatoes, etc.

On a side note, whenever this subject comes up, I never understand why many equate the lifting of the embargo with some kind of hostile

U.S. takeover. The Cuban government will still be the Cuban government.

[LeafLover]

I'll go to Cuba to rescue the oppressed virgins who are rolling my cigars on their thighs!!!!

On a serious note, hope things will change for the people of cuba. Just because an embargo is lifted doesn't necessarily mean that the regular Cubano will fare better from it.

[aavkk]

For me its a double edge sword. On a selfish personal level I want to see the real cuba before the effects (both positive and negative) of western society take root. I've unfortunately seen how it changes people throughout Asia. On the other hand, I would love to see the quality of life improve for the Cuban people and this will certainly be the case with foreign investment. Will it make them happier though? That's a tough question to answer. As for growth, its my understanding that their Infrastructure is in shambles- you can't effectively grow without proper infrastructure. It will undoubtedly be a long time before Walmart even thinks of opening shop, fortunately.

[mykeuva]

For me its a double edge sword. On a selfish personal level I want to see the real cuba before the effects (both positive and negative) of western society take root. I've unfortunately seen how it changes people throughout Asia. On the other hand, I would love to see the quality of life improve for the Cuban people and this will certainly be the case with foreign investment. Will it make them happier though? That's a tough question to answer. As for growth, its my understanding that their Infrastructure is in shambles- you can't effectively grow without proper infrastructure. It will undoubtedly be a long time before Walmart even thinks of opening shop, fortunately.

If it helps, don't think of today's Cuba as "the real Cuba."

"The real Cuba" is one where the people are happy, and free to pursue their interests, as well as free to interact with the rest of the world, unlike today.

No, the Cuba of today is not "the real Cuba." The Cuba of today is a populace held prisoner. Once they get rid of that sickness which is the current government, and only then, will we be able to see "the real Cuba."