Ah the insane procedures involved in returning home...

[ggunn]

Next time try the Xtabentun - it's a nice nitecap. Lots of different different brands sold.

I only know of two - D'Aristi and one other. IMO, the other has the honey to anise ratio too far on the honey side. D'Aristi is the brand stocked by most of the Coz bars and restaurants.

 

[DallasNewbie]

Can you cite a reference for that? How can the US gov't legislate outside their juridiction? It would be impossible to enforce something like that. If you order a rum and coke (with a twist of lime, a Cuba Libre) in Mexico, and you find out that they made it with Cuban rum, are you supposed to pour it out?

You can't bring Cuban rum back into the US, sure, OK, but illegal to drink it when you're in Mexico? If it is indeed a law (and I have my doubts), it's an extremely silly one.

The official word on the subject:

The question is often asked whether United States citizens
or permanent resident aliens of the United States may
legally purchase Cuban origin goods, including tobacco and
alcohol products, in a third country for personal use
outside the United States. The answer is no. The
Regulations prohibit persons subject to the jurisdiction of
the United States from purchasing, transporting, importing,
or otherwise dealing in or engaging in any transactions
with respect to any merchandise outside the United States
if such merchandise (1) is of Cuban origin; or (2) is or
has been located in or transported from or through Cuba; or
(3) is made or derived in whole or in part of any article
which is the growth, produce or manufacture of Cuba. Thus,
in the case of cigars, the prohibition extends to cigars
manufactured in Cuba and sold in a third country and to
cigars manufactured in a third country from tobacco grown
in Cuba.

It's not that silly when you think about it. The United States has an embargo against Cuba. As long as you are subject to US law, why should it matter where you are standing when you transact your business? Consider a large US company that has a subsidiary in Mexico for the sole purpose of doing business with Cuba. That'd leave a mighty big hole in the embargo, wouldn't it? Of course to be charged with any crime requires an element of intent. So, if you're served a Cuba Libre and you don't know what type of rum is in it, no biggie. I doubt anyone would care, even if you did it on purpose.

 

[ggunn]

The official word on the subject:


It's not that silly when you think about it. The United States has an embargo against Cuba. As long as you are subject to US law, why should it matter where you are standing when you transact your business? Consider a large US company that has a subsidiary in Mexico for the sole purpose of doing business with Cuba. That'd leave a mighty big hole in the embargo, wouldn't it? Of course to be charged with any crime requires an element of intent. So, if you're served a Cuba Libre and you don't know what type of rum is in it, no biggie. I doubt anyone would care, even if you did it on purpose.

Well, IMO, any law that absolutely cannot be enforced is silly. They can legislate all they want about this, but obviously no one can bust you in Mexico for buying a Cuban cigar or bottle of Cuban rum as long as you don't try to come through US Customs with it. Whether the Cuban Embargo in and of itself is silly is a topic for another forum.

 

[JessH]

It is the law, but as you said it is totally unenforcable.

What is silly is keeping a trade embargo going this long when we are the only ones doing it. A trade embargo just can't have the desired effect when you are in it alone. Especially when our neighbors to the north and the south aren't doing it.

~Jess

 

[ggunn]

It is the law, but as you said it is totally unenforcable.

What is silly is keeping a trade embargo going this long when we are the only ones doing it. A trade embargo just can't have the desired effect when you are in it alone. Especially when our neighbors to the north and the south aren't doing it.

~Jess

Of course, it's political. All those Cuban ex-pats living in and around Miami, and we all know how important Florida is in national elections. They all have such a har... <ahem> a thing for Castro; I wonder if they will relax about it when he finally kicks off.

The policy makes no sense otherwise; who is more Communist, Cuba or China? Who is more oppressive, Cuba or <pick a middle eastern nation from whom we buy oil>? Who is more of a danger to our country, Cuba or... well, you get the picture, I'm sure.

But I'd sure like to dive Cuba some day... ;^)

 

[JessH]

All of the Cuban ex-pats that I know realize that the embargo is stupid an ineffective.

The thing is that if you really wanted to dive in Cuba you could, it just ends up being more expensive because you have to buy 2 roundtrip plane tickets (one to another country such as Mexico then another from there to cuba).

~Jess

 

[ggunn]

All of the Cuban ex-pats that I know realize that the embargo is stupid an ineffective.

The thing is that if you really wanted to dive in Cuba you could, it just ends up being more expensive because you have to buy 2 roundtrip plane tickets (one to another country such as Mexico then another from there to cuba).

I know; I was just trying to mention diving somewhere in my post... ;^)

BTW, that's illegal, too, innit?

 

[DallasNewbie]

Yes unenforceable. And as I said, silly if you look at it from the perspective of a guy buying a drink. Not nearly as silly when you consider that the law is actually directed at business who would love to contract with Cuban organizations though an offshore intermediary.

Whether or not the embargo is a good thing or not, it is hard to say that it is not effective. Cuba is very poor, and has been hurt by the embargo a great deal, especially since the fall of the Soviet Union. No, it hasn't achieved the ultimate goal of a popular uprising and overthrow of Castro, but there's lots of reasons for that...

 

[JessH]

double post

 

[JessH]

BTW, that's illegal, too, innit?

Only if you spend money in Cuba

~Jess