Ever wonder what communism smells like?
Ahhh, nothing smells as fresh and sensual as communism in a bottle. It makes for a perfect stocking stuffer during Christmas–unless you lived in Fidel…
A man shows two bottles of cologne, one called “Ernesto,” honors guerrilla leader Ernesto “Che” Guevara, and “Hugo,” for the late Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, in Havana, Cuba, but if you want to smell like these men, you’ll have to wait. (AP Photo/Franklin Reyes)
Ahhh, nothing smells as fresh and sensual as communism in a bottle. It makes for a perfect stocking stuffer during Christmas–unless you lived in Fidel Castros atheist Cuba of previous decades, where Christmas was banned.
Well if that statement turned you on a little bit, then youd be in the market for two new colognes featuring the scents of two of Latin Americas most controversial left-wing figures: Che Guevara and Hugo Chavez.
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In an effort to pay homage to Che, the Argentine revolutionary leader and one-time Castro right hand man, and Hugo Chavez, the former Venezuelan president; a Cuban lab has come up with two different fragrances carrying their names.
Erenesto para Hombre has been described as woody and fresh, while Hugo is more subtle, with fruity notes.
Determination and heroism are the attributes the fragrances are trying to portray, according to an article published in Spanish daily El Mundo
Theyre going to be very attractive perfumes, but the names for us mean so much, Isabel Gonzalez told the Associated Press.
Gonzalez is the vice-president of research and development for Labiofam, the Cuban state-run laboratory that created the fragrances.
But not so fast Ms. Gonzalez. Did your company get permission to use the names of the deceased leaders when you set out to create the product?
A statement published in the officials state-run newspaper Granma reports the Cuban government considers the products a serious error.
The symbols of the Revolution are and will always be sacred, it read.
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Labiofam claims it did get permission, but that apparently wasn’t enough for the Cuban government.
The company said it had obtained the agreement of the families of Che Guevara and Hugo Chavez to use their names in the colognes. But that has now been denied by the Cuban government, the BBC reports.
However, Granma states that contrary to the AP report, no permission has been granted for this, and the product will not be marketed.
“We will take the necessary disciplinary actions that correspond to this serious error,” the article penned by the government.
Guess you’ll have to settle for Hugo Boss cologne next time you visit your local department store looking for “Hugo.”
