CDMX, Mexico.- The famous and feared American gangster Alphonse Gabriel Capone, better known as Al Caponevisited Cuba in 1928 to supervise one of his businesses: alcohol smuggling.
Between 1920 and 1933, the so-called Prohibition Law governed the United States. During those years, most of the alcoholic merchandise that entered US territory came from the Antilles, Cuba among them. In this context, it was to be expected that the famous gangster would get into the business and come to the island to make sure that the smuggling was successful.
There are many fables about his stay on the island that have not been verified by historians. For example, the lavish house in Varadero with his name is attributed to be his. However, there is no indication of this. The house was built in 1930 when Al Capone was in jail. Apparently the selection of the name was nothing more than a marketing initiative.
What has been proven is that he stayed at the Sevilla hotel, on the sixth floor. They say that she ordered it to be closed just for him and his entourage.
The journalist, expert on historical issues Ciro Bianchi told about it According to: “The popular legend then asked to meet with all the employees who were in charge of the care of said plant. He had little to tell them. But he congratulated each of them with a hundred dollar bill.
That wasn’t the only display of ostentation from the Chicago mobster. Another of the milestones of his stay in Havana occurred on Obispo street where he bought three Patek Philippe brand wristwatches at “Le Palais Royal”, the most expensive jewelry store in Havana. He paid six thousand dollars for them. It has emerged that one of the jewels was for him, another for his bodyguard and the third for a Cuban politician.
Was Alcapone looking to win sympathy so that nothing would interfere with his business? Was he paying a favor? Until today we do not know that, but the third watch ended up on the wrist of Rafael Guas Inclán, then president of the House of Representatives and who later became vice president of the Republic alongside Fulgencio Batista.
Much more is not known about Al Capone’s stay in Havana, but a photo of him is preserved in the gardens of the La Tropical brewery, in Marianao.
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