A video shared by content creator @CubaOldCars has sparked the interest of classic car enthusiasts in Cuba and stories hidden in Havana.
In the recording, a classic Cadillac is shown that is said to have belonged to the mobster Meyer Lansky, a key figure in American organized crime with close ties to Cuba prior to 1959.
The audiovisual piece includes an interview with Daniel García, director of the Classic Car Museum in Havana and current owner of the vehicle.
Daniel recounts that this luxury Cadillac was not registered in Lansky's name, but rather in that of his personal bodyguard, Jaime García, which was common practice at the time to evade legal scrutiny. The vehicle changed hands multiple times over more than six decades before reaching its current owner.
The Cadillac retains a paint tone very close to the original, with a well-preserved body and all its trim. It also keeps its V8 engine, a symbol of the power and style of American cars from the 1950s.
Its excellent state of preservation makes it a genuine gem on wheels that now belongs to the automotive heritage showcased in Cuba.
The anecdote of the Cadillac de Lansky not only speaks of luxury and elegance in Havana but also of a period in Cuban history marked by the presence of organized crime figures who found a profitable operational base on the island.
Who was Meyer Lansky and what was his relationship with Cuba?
Meyer Lansky was one of the leading figures of the Jewish mafia in the United States and a significant financier of organized crime during the 20th century.
He was born in Poland in 1902 and died in Miami in 1983. He arrived as a child in New York, where he formed key connections with other figures like Charles "Lucky" Luciano. Lansky is widely recognized as one of the masterminds behind the infamous "National Crime Syndicate."
His relationship with Cuba was strategic and profitable. During the 1940s and 1950s, Lansky operated casinos, hotels such as the Riviera, and other businesses in Havana with the consent of Fulgencio Batista's regime.
In 1959, with the rise to power of the communists, the new regime put an end to the interests of these mafia groups on the island, marking a turning point in Lansky's life and in the history of organized crime in the Caribbean.
Frequently Asked Questions about Meyer Lansky's Classic Cadillac and Its History in Cuba
What was Meyer Lansky's relationship with Cuba?
Meyer Lansky had a strategic and profitable relationship with Cuba during the 1940s and 1950s, where he operated casinos, hotels, and other businesses in Havana with the approval of Fulgencio Batista's regime. His influence on the island ended with the rise of the communists to power in 1959.
Who really owned the classic Cadillac associated with Lansky?
The classic Cadillac was not directly registered in the name of Meyer Lansky, but rather under his personal bodyguard, Jaime García. It was common at the time to register vehicles under third parties to evade legal scrutiny.
Why is Lansky's Cadillac significant in the history of Cuba?
The Lansky Cadillac is significant because it represents a phase in Cuban history marked by the influence of organized crime, which found a profitable operational ground on the island before the Revolution of 1959. This vehicle is now part of the automotive heritage displayed in Cuba.
Filed under: