Eusebio Leal Lectured at Int Habano Festival

Havana Historian Eusebio Leal said on Wednesday that the production, trade, and traditions of tobacco are part of the Cuban cultural heritage and a national legacy that remains in the preference of millions of people around the world.
Speaking at Havana’s Convention Center to the delegates participating in the ongoing 14th International Habano Festival, Leal recalled that tobacco was first taken to Europe in 1492 when Christopher Columbus returned from his first trip to the Americas.

The Havana Historian said personalities such as singer Francisco Repilado (Compay Segundo) and tobacco producer Alejandro Robaina are symbols of Cuba who were linked and contributed to the promotion and development of Cuban cigars all around the world.

This year’s Habano Festival is being attended by representatives from 60 countries and the program includes cigar tasting sessions, seminars, visits to tobacco plantations and cigar factories, as well as a commercial fair and an auction of humidors. Also programmed is the screening of the film “Cigars: The Heart and Soul of Cuba”, by James Suckling and James Orr.

Habanos S.A., founded in 1994, is a joint venture made up of Cuba’s Cubatabaco company and the Altadis Corporation, which belongs to the British Group Tobacco Group PLC. This company markets Cuban cigars on the island and abroad, based on an exclusive distribution network operating in over 150 countries.  (Taken from ACN)