Bacardi manages to best Pernod Ricard by using both the courts and Capitol Hill to keep the embargo in place against Pernod Ricard’s rum of the same name, Havana Club. But as relations between the U.S. and Cuba warm, negotiations between Havana and Washington begin. On Castro’s wish list: the right to sell its Havana Club in the U.S. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars. Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For Cubans, rum is more than just a drink. It's become a symbol of identity, culture and politics, and each bottle has a lot to say — especially when it's labeled "Havana Club."  As Bacardi and Pernod Ricard battle it out in court to determine the true owner of this traditional Cuban liquor brand, there is a larger cultural and geopolitical conversation unfolding.  To dive into this discussion, we spoke to Professor Lillian Guerra, a Cuban-American historian and Director of the Cuba Program at the University of Florida. She talks about Cuban economics, culture and policy as they relate to Bacardi, Pernod Ricard and Havana Club — and she's revealing her take on who has the real stuff. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.