ES / EN
- September 23, 2023 -
No Result
View All Result
OnCubaNews
  • World
  • Cuba
  • Cuba-USA
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Infographic
  • Culture
    • Billboard
  • Sports
  • Styles / Trends
  • Media
  • Special
  • Cuban Flavors
  • World
  • Cuba
  • Cuba-USA
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Infographic
  • Culture
    • Billboard
  • Sports
  • Styles / Trends
  • Media
  • Special
  • Cuban Flavors
OnCubaNews
ES / EN
Home Cuba-USA

Washington DC judge authorizes continuation of lawsuit over nationalization of properties in Cuba

The island’s lawyers, who represent the Cuban state enterprises CIMEX and CUPET, had argued that the lawsuit is inadmissible because the properties in question are located outside the United States.

by Rui Ferreira, Dunia Cruz Triana
April 24, 2021
in Cuba-USA
0

A Washington DC federal court authorized the U.S. Exxon Mobil oil company to continue its lawsuit against two Cuban enterprises for the nationalization of its properties at the beginning of the Cuban Revolution.

In May 2019, the American company opened the first lawsuit against Cuban enterprises under the Helms-Burton Act, in the court of the U.S. capital. After that, a dozen more lawsuits have appeared, but none have succeeded.

Exxon Mobil is seeking a 280-million-dollar compensation from the CIMEX and CUPET enterprises for the use of their former properties in Cuba, such as the one that is today the Ñico López refinery in Havana, as well as hundreds of gasoline and lubricant outlets, offices and trucks for the delivery of refined crude oil.

This Wednesday, federal judge Amit Mehta gave the green light to the continuation of the process that had been interrupted in 2019. Over the years, the United States government has recognized thousands of lawsuits of this type presented by companies and individuals regarding properties that once belonged to Americans.

But Exxon shelved its case in 2019 after the Donald Trump administration said it would not block a provision in a 1996 U.S. law that allowed private trials for property seized in Cuba. However, the legal signature of that policy was never carried out.

The Exxon Mobil lawsuit was recognized by the U.S. government in the mid-1960s and is on a list of certified lawsuits, a condition for them to be heard before a U.S. court.

One of the pitfalls for a lawsuit of this type is that it is very difficult to enforce its possible ruling, because it judges the situation of an existing property in another country. In addition, in the case of Cuba, the U.S. embargo also interferes.

The two Cuban enterprises have already tried to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that they are entities of a foreign government and therefore immune from complaint under the (U.S.) Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act.

Gobierno cubano dice que tribunal de EEUU no tiene potestad para juzgar demanda de Exxon

When the lawsuit was filed, the only one to which Cuba has responded to until now, the island appointed two lawyers in the United States and added that it was not admissible precisely because the property in dispute is in Cuban territory.

Another pillar of the lawsuit, according to Exxon Mobil, is that CIMEX and CUPET participated in the “illegal trafficking of properties confiscated from the plaintiff,” including hundreds of service stations, storage tanks, a marine terminal and the Ñico López refinery.

Exxon spokesman Todd Spitler said in an email that they agree with the court’s decision to allow the trial to proceed, and added that the decision continues to support the claim that Exxon Mobil should receive compensation for its expropriated assets.

Mehta ruled that an exception to the statute means that Exxon’s complaint against CIMEX can go ahead. He also allowed the U.S. company to gather evidence that proves that its lawsuits against CUPET are legally viable, that is, that the Cuban enterprise was the “heir” company to the former properties of the U.S. oil company.

Authors

Rui Ferreira, Dunia Cruz Triana
Tags: Cuba-USA Relations
Previous Post

Russian food donation for Cuba

Next Post

Cuba exceeds 100,000 coronavirus infections

Rui Ferreira

Mi padre era actor y mi abuelo general. Una mezcla lo suficientemente explosiva como para generar un tipo que solo hace preguntas, no le gusta las respuestas a medias, y refleja todo eso en la mejor profesión del mundo. Por lo demás, me gusta viajar y fotografiar. A veces eso da plata, otras veces solo entretiene. Pero siempre vale la pena. Por lo que queda, dejémonos de pretensiones.

Dunia Cruz Triana

Next Post

Cuba exceeds 100,000 coronavirus infections

Massive intervention with COVID-19 vaccines will begin in May in Havana

Paraguay would ask Mercosur countries to negotiate Cuba’s COVID-19 vaccines

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

The conversation here is moderated according to OnCuba News discussion guidelines. Please read the Comment Policy before joining the discussion.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Most Read

  • Crisis, expectations and migration in Cuba

    10 shares
    Share 4 Tweet 3
  • Lessons to Learn From How Cubans Became Republicans

    332 shares
    Share 132 Tweet 83
  • The salmon flight. From Brooklyn to Cayo Hueso without regrets

    6 shares
    Share 2 Tweet 2
  • Marylin Monroe and Afro-Americans

    81 shares
    Share 32 Tweet 20
  • Biden administration could announce measures to provide “greater financial support” to SMEs in Cuba

    5 shares
    Share 2 Tweet 1

Most Commented

    • About us
    • Work with OnCuba
    • Terms of use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Moderation policy for comments
    • Contact us
    • Advertisement offers

    OnCuba and the OnCuba logo are registered® trademarks of Fuego Enterprises, Inc., its subsidiaries or divisions.
    OnCuba © by Fuego Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    No Result
    View All Result
    • World
    • Cuba
    • Cuba-USA
    • Opinion
      • Columns
      • Infographic
    • Culture
      • Billboard
    • Sports
    • Styles / Trends
    • Media
    • Special
    • Cuban Flavors

    OnCuba and the OnCuba logo are registered® trademarks of Fuego Enterprises, Inc., its subsidiaries or divisions.
    OnCuba © by Fuego Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Exit mobile version