The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that major cruise companies including Royal Caribbean, Carnival Corporation, Norwegian Cruise Line, and MSC Cruises can face lawsuits over their use of a Havana port seized by Cuba’s communist government in 1960.
In an 8-1 decision, the court said Havana Docks Corporation has the right to seek damages for the cruise lines’ use of the Havana port between 2016 and 2019.
Case Tied to U.S.-Cuba Tensions
The ruling centers on the 1996 Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act, which allows Americans to sue over property confiscated during the Cuban Revolution.
Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that companies using confiscated property may be held financially liable, even decades later.
The case gained momentum after Donald Trump activated a section of the law allowing such lawsuits during his first term.
More Cuba Cases Ahead
Justice Elena Kagan was the lone dissenter, arguing the company’s original rights to the docks had expired years earlier.
The Supreme Court is also expected to rule soon in a separate Cuba-related case involving ExxonMobil and property claims tied to Cuban-owned businesses.
For the latest on Supreme Court cases, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.