For those of you who were yearning to spritz yourself with perfumes named after socialist revolutionary heroes, Cuba says: too bad. Cuba has aborted plans to develop fragrances in honor of Ernesto "Che" Guevara and former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, calling the project disrespectful of two "sacred" revolutionary symbols. The executive committee of the Council of Ministers, one of the highest bodies within the communist government, said in a statement on Saturday that those responsible for promoting the fragrances would be disciplined for their "grave mistake."
"These types of initiatives will never be accepted by our people nor by the revolutionary government. The symbols - of yesterday, today and forever – are sacred," the statement said. The state pharmaceutical and chemical company Labiofam announced plans to develop fragrances called "Ernesto" and "Hugo" this week during a four-day company meeting. Labeled perfumes, the fragrances were to be marketed as men’s cologne.
-- Reuters and NBC News Staff