1930’s H. Upmann Presentation Humidor with a bit of Cuban History

[Jack]

There used to be a fair number of presentation Cuban cigar boxes on the usual auction sites.  In recent years this has mostly stopped, due to new rules on auctions, and possibly an exhaustion of supply.

I have purchased maybe half a dozen, over the years, that had dedications to specific individuals.  When time permits, I try to research them to get a sense of the history behind the person who owned it.

While not elaborate, this box is in good, solid condition.  There is no warpage or loss of wood and the original key is included.  It does look like someone laid a smoldering cigar across the lid at one point.

This particular H. Upmann box appears to be for Col. Manuel Benítez Valdés.  He was head of the Matanzas Military District around 1939 and this box likely dates from that era.  His father, Manuel Benítez González, became a Cuban Senator and later the President of the Military Affairs Commission, before passing away in late 1946.

Col. Benitez became National Police Chief, during the first Batista government, in January 1941.  Promoted to General when WWII broke out he was accused of assassination, bribery and other nefarious actions.  He leaves Cuba, but is forgiven and returns in 1946 to attend to his dying father.  He becomes a Cuban Senator in 1954 and flees for Miami after the revolution.

In Miami, it is said, he was approached by “Papa Doc” Duvalier (President of Haiti) and hired to assassinate a Duvalier rival.  Benítez Valdés’ spies determine that the targeted man had cancer and Benítez Valdés strings along Duvalier for two years with the story of a “slow poisoning”, using substances that cannot be traced.  The target eventually dies, of natural causes, and Benítez Valdés collects his money for a successful “assassination”.

Shown in one photo below is the original military retirement pension document for the father, Manuel Benítez González, included with the box.

The other document is a page from a declassified 1958 FBI report mentioning Benítez Valdés and his great affection for his friend Meyer Lansky.

The photograph of Benítez Valdés with J. Edgar Hoover is from the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin (Nov. – Dec. 1942) when he travelled to the U.S. to show solidarity in police enforcement.