The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that ExxonMobil can sue Cuban state-owned companies in American courts over property on the island nation that was seized after Fidel Castro took power, per the AP. The 6-3 decision was the second in as many months in favor of US owners of Cuban property that was confiscated by the Communist government more than 65 years ago. The outcome in the two cases could be an additional lever for the Trump administration to exert pressure on Cuba, which is already being squeezed by a US oil embargo.
At issue was whether the 1996 law known as Helms-Burton removes the shield from lawsuits in US courts that typically cover foreign countries and state-owned businesses. The justices reversed a lower-court ruling that Cuban state-owned companies are immune from lawsuits in US courts. ExxonMobil is seeking compensation for the confiscation of assets owned by subsidiaries of Standard Oil, ExxonMobil's predecessor, including more than 100 service stations and an oil refinery.
Last month, the court ruled in another case involving confiscated property in Cuba, reviving claims by the US company that operated docks in Havana against four cruise lines that brought tourists to Cuba during the brief thaw in relations during the Obama administration. That case turned on the same section of Helms-Burton allowing lawsuits over seized property. Congress passed the law in response to the 1996 downing of civilian planes flown by Miami-based exiles.
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