Ever wondered why you can find Che Guevara’s face on everything from baby onesies to expensive boutique lighters, but you almost never see a "Fidel Castro" brand? It’s not an accident. Honestly, it’s one of the most ironic legal setups in the Caribbean.
While the rest of the world turns revolutionary icons into kitschy commodities, the Cuban government took a hard left turn. They basically locked down the name Fidel Castro marca registrada (registered trademark) by making it, well, illegal to use for profit.
It sounds like a contradiction. How can something be a "registered trademark" if the law says you can't use it as a brand? The answer lies in a very specific law passed shortly after the leader's death in 2016.
The Law That Killed the Brand
Fidel was a shrewd guy. He knew exactly how the "capitalist machine" worked. Before he died, he gave his brother, Raúl Castro, very specific instructions: no cult of personality. No statues. No streets named after him. And definitely no using his name to sell stuff.
In December 2016, the Cuban National Assembly made it official. They passed a law that strictly prohibits the use of his name or image for commercial purposes. This includes:
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- Trademarks and slogans.
- Commercial advertising or labels.
- Public monuments or statues (unless for study).
- Naming institutions or parks after him.
So, when we talk about fidel castro marca registrada, we’re actually talking about a void. The Cuban state-owned intellectual property office (OCPI) won’t even look at an application that mentions him. They’ve essentially "anti-trademarked" the man.
Why This Matters for Global Business
You might think, "Okay, so I can't open a Fidel Castro cafe in Havana. Big deal." But it gets complicated when you look at how Cuba fights for its other famous brands.
Take the "Havana Club" rum war. That’s been a legal nightmare for decades. You have the Cuban government (partnered with Pernod Ricard) on one side and Bacardi on the other. They are fighting over who owns the trademark in the United States.
Now, imagine if someone tried to register fidel castro marca registrada in Europe or the US. Because Cuba itself has a law against using the name commercially, it creates a unique legal shield. It’s hard for a third party to claim they have a "legitimate interest" in the name when the person's own estate and country have officially retired it from commerce.
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It’s a defensive play. By not allowing the name to become a brand, they prevent it from being "debased" by the very markets Fidel spent his life criticizing.
The Cohiba Connection
Interestingly, the closest we ever got to a Fidel brand was the Cohiba cigar.
For years, Cohiba was the private brand of the Cuban leader. He didn't sell them; he gave them away as diplomatic gifts. It was his signature. When the brand eventually went public in 1982, it became one of the most valuable trademarks in the world.
The battle over the Cohiba name is still raging in US courts today. Just recently, in early 2025 and 2026, we’ve seen major rulings regarding the "No Stolen Trademarks Honored in America Act." This law tries to block Cuban trademarks that were "seized" during the revolution.
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What This Means for You
If you're an entrepreneur or a designer thinking about using the revolutionary aesthetic, here is the reality:
- Legal Risk: Trying to register a trademark involving Fidel Castro will likely be rejected in most jurisdictions because it suggests a false connection to a foreign government or deceased public figure.
- The "Che" Exception: Che Guevara's image is everywhere because his family didn't (or couldn't) maintain the same level of strict, legally-enforced "brand silence" that the Cuban state maintains for Fidel.
- Respecting the Law: In Cuba, the prohibition is absolute. You won't find a "Fidel" brand of cigars, rum, or coffee.
Basically, the "brand" of Fidel is that there is no brand.
If you want to stay on the right side of international trademark law, you're better off looking at historical fair use for educational purposes rather than trying to slap a name on a product. The Cuban government treats the name of the Comandante as a piece of national heritage, not a business asset.
To protect your own intellectual property, it's always smarter to search the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) database before getting attached to a name—especially one with this much political baggage. You’ll find that while many have tried to capitalize on the name, almost all have been shut down by the sheer weight of Cuban law and international treaties.
Next Steps for Research:
Check the official database of the Oficina Cubana de la Propiedad Industrial (OCPI) to see the full list of prohibited names and symbols under the 2016 Law on the Use of the Name and Image of Fidel Castro Ruz.