Fidel Castro

Fidel Castro (1926- ), "the dictator of Cuba, transformed his country into the first communist state in the Western Hemisphere." 

Castro and Cigars
Tobacco was a major agricultural crop in Cuba. Cuban President Fidel Castro loved smoking cigars and was frequently photographed smoking a cigar.

Marvin R. Shanken, editor and publisher of Cigar Aficionado, interviewed Castro in Havana on Feb. 3, 1994 at the Palace of the Revolution. The interview focused on cigars, but touched on the United States trade embargo and Castro's future.

The June 1999 issue of Cigar Aficionado magazine again featured Castro on the cover with U.S. President Bill Clinton. The Miami International Airport briefly banned copies of the magazine because it was deemed flattering to Castro. The ban was subsequently lifted after the American Civil Liberties Union threatened a lawsuit.

Castro had a special proprietary cigar made especially for himself called the Trinidad that he had made especially to hand out to visiting dignitaries. The cigars were packed in unmarked cedar boxes of 100 each.

Other SourceWatch Resources

 * Tobacco industry