Move over Romeo y Julieta, here comes The Merchant of Venice

Tourists heading for Cuba with the idea of taking pictures of locals happily puffing away at quality cigars are likely to be disappointed.

At least that is the picture painted by Cuban blogger, Yoani Sanchez, writing in the Huffington Post.

In a piece relayed by the TMA, Sanchez said that it was becoming increasingly difficult for locals to enjoy Cuban cigars because the product now sold at ‘stratospheric prices’ in specialized luxury stores.

With monthly earnings barely surpassing US$25, locals had almost no chance of enjoying Cuban cigars.

The government, Sanchez said, had lost interest in selling to their own citizens a product they preferred to export.