Cuba: Acknowledging Impact Was Not Necessarily A Shrewd Political Statement. For Biden Administration, If It's Working, Why Change It? For Plaintiffs, Libertad Act Doing What It Was Designed To Do.
/Newsweek
Washington DC
3 October 2023
Excerpt from Interview with Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba:
"His fourth and final recommendation was for Biden to "suspend the possibility of courts taking action on demands placed for people that claim property in Cuba against investors." Such action is codified in Title III of the 1996 Helms-Burton Act, but Trump took the unprecedented move of allowing lawsuits to proceed for those claiming their property was confiscated during the Cuban Revolution that took place nearly 65 years ago.
"Trump was the first one who allowed it, and Biden, with a surprising loyalty, has followed what Trump decided in that moment," de Cossío said. "It's in [Biden's] hands to change that and stop putting such a deterrent effect on people who want to do business with Cuba, not only investors but in the business of buying and selling [various goods].""
The Trump-Pence Administration (2017-2021) on 2 May 2019 made operational Title III of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act of 1996 (known as “Libertad Act”). Title III authorizes lawsuits in United States District Courts against companies and individuals who are using a certified claim or non-certified claim where the owner of the certified claim or non-certified claim has not received compensation from the Republic of Cuba or from a third-party who is using (“trafficking”) the asset.
44 Lawsuits Filed (15 certified claimants & 29 non-certified claimants)
Link To Libertad Act Title III Lawsuit Filing Statistics
Links To Related Analyses
President Biden Continues One-Year Extension Of Trading With The Enemy Act Provisions Relating To Cuba Sep 13, 2023
Default Judgement Against Government Of Cuba For US$2.595 Billion Issued By U.S. District Court In Colorado. Sep 6, 2023
JetBlue And Other Airlines To Suspend All Flights From The United States To Cuba- Lack Of Demand. Sep 1, 2023