A few corrections
1) La Aurora is the cigar division of L. Le?n Jim?nes and is not named after the daughter of Trujillo.
2) La Compa??a An?nima Tabacalera was the national cigarette company taken over byTrujillo. It used to be owned by the Copello family and I believe Alejandro Piola was one of its las presidents under Trujillo.
3) The Tabacalera produced Hollywood, Casino, Montecarlo,Cremas Pectorales, and a few others. Later on they had a deal with RJ Reynolds to produce Winston.
They had the fonest print shop in this region of the country, and it served many diverse sectors.
After mistakenly allowing the Le?n Jim?nes group to associate themselves with Phillip Morris, the "Tabacalera" was doomed, losing market share every year until it was reduced to about 7%, and then only because Le?n Jim?nes did not want a fight with the government. Since Trujillo's death the Tabacalera was a depository for government patronage with over 1300 employees for jobs that could be done by 120....and with an iron-clad union contract around its neck....It even carried a very good school-supposedly for employee's children, byt really also used for patronage and political favors. The current district education supervisor Pedro Diep was once the headmaster there.
When it was "privatized" the bidding was highly suspicious, but in any event, they do NOT make Romeo and Juliet cigars. They did and they do produce the cigar line called La Habanera, which, if truth be told, is the oldest cigar brand produced in the DR, being started one year befor the Le?n Jim?nes peopole started La Aurora.
COTASA-Compa??a de Tabacalera de Santiago-the cigar making division of the old Tabacalera, was the springboard for many many people whou would siphon off orders to the world reknown La Habanera, and make the cigars in outside factories. Factories with huge followings started this was in the 80s and 90s....
HB..