Supreme Court OKs ExxonMobil lawsuit over Cuban property seized by Fidel Castro’s government
Summary
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that ExxonMobil can sue Cuban government companies in U.S. courts over property seized after Fidel Castro took power. This decision supports the 1996 Helms-Burton law, which allows Americans to sue businesses that use property confiscated by Cuba.Key Facts
- The Supreme Court voted 6-3 to allow ExxonMobil's lawsuit against Cuban state-owned companies.
- The property was originally owned by Standard Oil, ExxonMobil’s predecessor, and included over 100 gas stations and a refinery.
- The Helms-Burton Act of 1996 lets U.S. citizens sue companies benefiting from property confiscated by Cuba’s government.
- President Trump lifted the suspension of this law in 2019, enabling ExxonMobil to file the lawsuit.
- The court reversed a lower court ruling that had protected Cuban companies from such lawsuits.
- The U.S. Foreign Claims Settlement Commission valued ExxonMobil’s lost property at $71.6 million in 1969, now worth over $1 billion with interest.
- A similar recent Supreme Court case revived claims against cruise lines operating in Cuba during the Obama administration’s policy thaw.
- Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote the majority opinion, while Justice Elena Kagan dissented, disagreeing on legal interpretation regarding sovereign immunity.
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