El Presidente

We are largely in agreement. I just think it is possible to walk and chew gum at the same time. ie continue to kick the govt in the nuts while providing tools to empower local cubans to take possession of their destiny. In the end it is up to them to change things.

Javi, I want Jose, Carlos, Jorge etc and their families to prosper. I wan't all Cubans to prosper as a result of their own endeavour. Let's maybe start there by providing the necssary tools. Independent communications infratrusture/offshore banking access (revolut etc). There are other ways to screw the govt without resorting to a scorched earth policy.

Agreed. Incompetence and embargo ramifications = not worth dealing with

Sometimes a little separation provides perspective. Hence the saying "can't see the wood for the trees" .

I can't see any. State owned ships, no money transacted. Mexico co-operation required by the US in other more pressing areas. Not worth pursuing.

It really is a matter of people just educating themselves on the embargo and it’s effects. To say there is no embargo is a lie. There is certainly an enforced financial systems embargo + punitive measures prohibiting foreign companies with US interests from dealing directly with Cuba. To say that the embargo is the cause of all of Cuba’s problems is a lie. The govt is incompetent and corrupt. People will push their particular wheelbarrow. Like most things, the truth is a mix of the two.

well....it would explain the shortage

China certainly and it hasn't yet touched the surface. US same (in terms of CC) Middle east, parts of Asia.

Do you think he knows that he would likely get a higher price if the sticker/warranty seal were actually applied ot the box .....

What are your rules for determining if a young cigar is suitable for ageing? Perhaps we should define that as a cigar that has so much upside in 5+ years that it would be a waste to smoke now. Variations of this question come up regularly and I suspect many of us have our own intenal "radar" or set of rules that we have developed over the years. Share them with us My general rule for a young box/cab where you sample one or two cigars after 30-90 days. If it is too strong, just go long Honey grass of cream to a slight degree, ....revisit in three. Nuts and coffee,

Good article from the fine people at CJ. Driving past the premises of Tabacalera de García in La Romana, one already senses the grandiose dimensions of the world’s largest cigar factory. An endless sea of mopeds glitters in the Dominican midday sun. Thousands of specialists daily produce a huge amount of cigars. We have the opportunity to meet the man who is responsible for ensuring that the cogwheels of the mega-operation run smoothly and never stop: factory director, Javier Elmudesi. Walking through the factory, despite its gigantic proportions, everything seems to run like clock

AMLO shrugs off US sensitivity to Cuba aid - Argus Media https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news/2238268-amlo-shrugs-off-us-sensitivity-to-cuba-aid Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador shrugged off potential US opposition to Mexican fuel, food and medical aid to Cuba. "We do have a very good relationship with the US government," AMLO, as the president is widely known, said today as a Mexican products tanker berthed in Havana port. "We attempt to keep those good relations, a good neighbor with cooperation for development. But in the case of Cuba we do not agree with the

Nailed it. They still hold up as the epitome of blending and legs.

I think you will find around 110 threads on the subject. If you need any clarification on the finer points....jump back in with a question