MIAMI, Dec 30 (Reuters) – Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH.N) should pay $110 million in damages to be used of a port that Cuba’s authorities confiscated in 1960, a U.S. choose dominated on Friday, a milestone for Cuban-Individuals in search of compensation for Chilly-Warfare period asset seizures.
The choice by U.S. District Decide Beth Bloom in Miami follows her March ruling that using the Havana Cruise Port Terminal constituted trafficking in confiscated property owned by the plaintiff, Delaware-registered Havana Docks Corp.
“Judgment is entered in favor of Plaintiff Havana Docks Company and towards Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Ltd,” reads the choice.
“Plaintiff is awarded $109,848,747.87 in damages,” it says, including that Norwegian also needs to pay an extra $3 million in authorized charges and prices.
Norwegian Cruise Line didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has harshly criticized the Helms-Burton Act, describing it as an extra-territorial violation of worldwide legislation.
Havana Docks had additionally sued cruise traces Carnival (CCL.N), Royal Caribbean (RCL.N) and MSC below the Helms-Burton Act, which permits U.S. nationals to sue over use of property seized in Cuba after 1959.
The ruling might gasoline extra lawsuits by Cuban exiles pursuing claims, which in line with one estimate are price $2 billion, over asset seizures below late Cuban chief Fidel Castro.
It might additionally function a reminder to multinational companies of the issues that may include doing enterprise in Cuba.
U.S. cruise ships in 2016 started touring to Cuba for the primary time in a long time following a detente negotiated by former President Barack Obama that eased some provisions of a U.S. embargo in place because the Chilly Warfare.
However the Trump administration in 2019 ordered a halt to all such cruises amid efforts to stress Cuba over its help for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, an ideological adversary of Washington.
The Trump administration additionally allowed U.S. residents to sue third events for utilizing property seized by Cuban authorities, a provision of the Helms-Burton Act that had been waived by each earlier president because the legislation’s 1996 passage.
Havana Docks says Cuba, which has been topic to a decades-old U.S. commerce embargo, by no means compensated it for the takeover of the property.
It sued the 4 cruise traces in 2019 within the U.S. District Court docket for the Southern District of Florida. Bloom in March held that the businesses have been accountable for damages below the Helms-Burton Act, also referred to as the Libertad Act.
In line with the U.S.-Cuba Commerce and Financial Council, a non-profit that gives info on relations between the 2 international locations, the 5,913 licensed claims for property seized in Cuba symbolize practically $2 billion in legal responsibility.
Forty-four lawsuits have been filed below Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, the group says.
“For these present plaintiffs of Cuban descent, (the choice) will give them a second of satisfaction,” stated John Kavulich, the group’s president. “It will give them a second to say ‘You’ll be able to run however you may’t disguise,'” stated Kavulich.
Reporting by Brian Ellsworth in Miami; modifying by Diane Craft
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