Cigars played a role in U.S. ‘sanctions’ on Cuba in 1960s

While poised to slap Cuba with “U.S. economic sanctions” in early 1962, President John F. Kennedy paused for a moment. He summoned his press secretary Pierre Salinger into his office one evening.

 

Salinger revealed the nuts and bolts of his conversation with the president within an article he wrote for Cigar Aficionado magazine in 1992. Here is the text, beginning with Kennedy’s opening solemn comment: 

“Pierre, I need some help.” 

“I’ll be glad to do anything I can Mr. President,” I replied. \

“I need a lot of cigars.” 

“How many, Mr. President?” 

“About 1,000 Petit Upmanns.”

 

Salinger wrote: “I shuddered a bit, although I kept my reaction to myself. ‘And, when do you need them, Mr. President?’” 

“Tomorrow morning.” 

Salinger wrote: “I walked out of the office wondering if I would succeed. But since I was now a solid Cuban cigar smoker, I knew a lot of stores, and I worked on the problem into the evening. The next morning, I walked into my White House office at about 8 a.m., and the direct line from the president was already ringing. He asked me to come in immediately.” 

“How did you do Pierre?” he asked, as I walked through the door. 

Salinger boasted that he had acquired 1,200 of the coveted Cuban cigars that Kennedy enjoyed smoking the most. (H. Upmann Cigars was founded in Havana in 1844 by German banker Herman Upmann, among the oldest and most respected cigar brands in existence.) 

“Kennedy smiled and opened up his desk,” Salinger continued. “He took out a long paper, which he immediately signed.” The document was a decree banning the import of any Cuban products into the United States. Buying and selling Cuban cigars were now illegal in the United States. The executive order was dated Feb. 7, 1962. 

Did they light up and enjoy a stogie? 

Salinger didn’t say…but he would share another historic cigar adventure. He went to Moscow in Russia in May 1962 to meet face-to-face with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. A nonsmoker, Khrushchev re-gifted a box of 250 “gorgeous Cuban cigars” that he had received from Cuba’s dictator Fidel Castro.

 

“I decided to take them home and share them with the president,” Salinger said. “When I arrived back in the office, the president immediately wanted to talk to me about the Khrushchev meetings. But I interrupted him.” 

“I made a killing in Moscow, Mr. President. I got 250 Cuban cigars.” 

“The president looked shocked. ‘Do you have any idea what a scandal it will create if someone finds out you brought those cigars illegally into this country, particularly since I banned them?’” 

“It’s no problem, Mr. President,” I replied. “There are only three persons who know about these cigars – you, me and Khrushchev.” 

Kennedy said: “I want you to take them to the chief of customs and turn them over. Come back with a receipt.” 

“I went to customs and handed them over,” Salinger said, “and asked the chief what he was going to do with the cigars.” 

“Destroy them,” he said without any sentiment. 

Salinger had an inkling that the chief intended to destroy them…burning them one by one.