International

Cuba factory that rolled Castro’s cigars still strives for ‘the perfect puff’

AFP | by Leticia PINEDA

Seated before a machine that checks cigar quality, Orquidea Gonzalez says she is proud to carry on the craft’s tradition and contribute to an export industry that has grown during the pandemic.

“I love making cigars. This is where I’ve spent my life, and it’s an art. Not everyone knows how to make cigars, like not everyone knows how to paint a picture,” said the 55-year-old factory worker.

Her job is to measure in a metal tube the draw of each cigar to ensure that the smoker gets the perfect puff.

“If it’s less than 40, the (suction) level is excessive; if it’s more than 80, it’s too low,” she explained, her eyes glued to the machine’s needle.

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The El Laguito factory opened in 1966 in western Havana to make the cigars favored by the hero of the 1959 Communist revolution and longtime president Fidel Castro.

The factory is the birthplace of Cohiba cigars, Cuba’s most prestigious brand. The name recalls the way the native Taino people referred to the rolled tobacco leaves they smoked.

Rolling one’s own leaves is a tradition that endures among farmers in the western province of Pinar del Rio, where most Cuban tobacco farms are located.

Flavor

Castro’s favorite cigar, the Cohiba Lancero, which he smoked until he quit in 1985 at the age of 59, is still produced in the factory.

“Despite all the difficulties we face,” the goal is to manufacture “nearly two million” cigars in 2022, or roughly 9,000 a day, said factory head Oscar Rodriguez.

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Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Cuban cigar exports grew by 15 percent in 2021, totaling $568 million, according to Habanos S.A., which includes all national brands. That constitutes a significant boon for the Cuban economy, which is in the grips of its worst crisis in 30 years, with daily shortages and power cuts.

The factory “did not stop for a single day” during the pandemic, eventually making cigars “the country’s second-largest export,” Rodriguez said.

Spain, China, Germany, France and Switzerland are among the top buyers.

Expertly handling curved blades and a sticky substance, dozens of workers put the finishing touches on the ends of newly rolled cigars.

Some 60 percent of the workers are women — following a tradition at the factory founded by Castro’s comrade-in-arms Celia Sanchez — that aims to give opportunities to single mothers or women in difficulty.

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Another founder, Norma Fernandez, who died during the pandemic, rolled the cigars for the leader of the revolution.

“It was a privilege to be able to say, ‘I made the president’s cigars,’” said Orquidea Gonzalez, hard at work at the factory, which is housed in an elegant 1950s villa.

Caridad Mesa, now 55, started working at El Laguito as a cleaning lady. Thirty years later, she is in charge of spotting the smallest defects in the cigars.

It is necessary to control “the quality, the weight, the length… the thickness,” she said, scrutinizing boxes brimming with cigars under a large portrait of Communist revolutionary icon Ernesto “Che” Guevara.

Cohiba cigars, which include a wide range of styles, can cost $30 to $200 each, both in Cuba and abroad.

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“Cuban tobacco is distinguished from all other kinds by the flavor of the land of Pinar del Rio,” said Gonzalez.

It is there, she added, “where the best tobacco crops are grown.”

International

Nine People Killed in Two Armed Attacks in Manabí, Ecuador

At least nine people were killed Monday in two nearly simultaneous armed attacks in the province of Manabí, located on Ecuador’s Pacific coast, one of the areas hardest hit by violence in the country, according to the National Police.

The first attack left seven people dead and took place in Camarones, a rural area of the Jama canton. The second occurred in the sector known as La Y, in the seaside town of Canoa, part of the San Vicente canton, where two people were killed.

According to preliminary reports, both incidents occurred early Monday morning when armed men intercepted the victims. Authorities said the motives behind the attacks remain under investigation.

The assault in Camarones happened around 1:15 a.m. local time, when a group of armed individuals stormed a ranch in the area. The victims have not yet been officially identified.

About 15 minutes later, in Canoa, two men traveling in a motorized taxi were intercepted by armed suspects riding motorcycles and shot. One of the victims was identified as a 28-year-old passenger, while the identity of the driver has not yet been confirmed.

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The attacks occurred just days after another multiple homicide on February 12 at a ranch in San Juan de las Cucarachas, a rural area of the Santa Ana canton in Manabí, which left six people dead.

Manabí has been experiencing escalating insecurity linked to disputes among organized crime groups, including drug trafficking networks and territorial control conflicts. In response, the government has maintained a state of emergency in the province since August to address the surge in violence attributed to these criminal organizations.

International

Over 40 Million Affected by Major Snowstorm in Northeastern U.S.

More than 40 million people across the northeastern United States are facing a new major snowstorm this Monday, including residents of New York City, where local authorities have shut down roads to traffic.

The storm triggered widespread flight cancellations early in the morning and caused power outages affecting thousands of homes and businesses throughout the region.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani banned non-essential vehicle travel at least until noon and ordered the closure of public schools as a precautionary measure. Authorities in neighboring states, including New Jersey and Rhode Island, imposed similar restrictions to ensure public safety.

This marks the second major winter storm to hit the East Coast in less than a month, leading to growing frustration among residents.

“I’m fed up. I don’t want to see another snowflake,” said Vincent Greer, a resident of Wildwood, New Jersey, as he shoveled accumulated snow from in front of his building.

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Officials continue to urge residents to remain indoors, avoid unnecessary travel, and monitor local advisories as crews work to clear roads and restore power.

International

Ninth Victim Recovered After Deadliest U.S. Avalanche in Decades

Rescue teams in California on Saturday recovered the body of the ninth and final victim of a deadly avalanche in the Sierra Nevada mountains, according to the local sheriff’s office.

The avalanche struck a group of 11 skiers and four guides on Tuesday as they were returning from a three-day backcountry trip near Castle Peak, a 2,777-meter (9,111-foot) mountain and popular tourist destination on the U.S. West Coast.

Six people were rescued alive on Tuesday. Authorities said the incident marks the deadliest avalanche in the United States since 1981.

“All nine individuals who lost their lives in the February 17 Castle Peak avalanche have been safely recovered from the mountain,” the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

“There are no words that can truly capture the magnitude of this loss, and our hearts grieve alongside the families affected by this catastrophic event,” Sheriff Shannan Moon said.

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Officials had warned on Thursday that search operations would likely continue through the weekend due to severe weather conditions in the area.

Survivors were able to call for help shortly after the avalanche occurred. However, near-zero visibility and the risk of additional snow slides prevented rescue teams from reaching them for several hours.