Family of Late US Gangster Wants Compensation for Cuba Hotel


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I don't see any of these claims getting paid anytime soon. Even if the US makes lifting the embargo dependent on Cuba compensating the claimants Cuba won't care. The embargo is going to be lifted long before Cuba makes any serious moves toward private property and economic freedom. Now, once the embargo is lifted I believe the move toward real freedom is inevitable (something the US has failed to realize for 60+ years) but as long as the embargo is in place these claims aren't worth the paper they're recorded on.

Certainly no one in the Castro regime is ever going to give any credibility to these claims and admit their legitimacy. In their eyes, seizing and socializing that property was the entire foundation of the revolution. You've got to break a few eggs to make that omelette. These claims will never be discussed in Cuba at all until people can even own land outright again in Cuba which I don't see as a near-future event.

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I doubt any private claims will be seriously considered by Cuba . Can see US and Cuban Government claims ending up nullifying each other. My 2cents.

I think Cuba will have to offer transferable tax credits or something similar to resolve the claims. The embargo isn't going anywhere until they resolve the issue. Of course they can't afford to dole out money for the claims. But they can offer up future incentives of some sort to those who intend to invest in the local economy once the embargo is lifted. The article posted here the other day sort of touched on this. I don't see it being resolved any other way.

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I have read some articles on this topic and there is some precedent for compensation. I have heard articles use Russia and Libya as examples. However, much like the US government has used bureaucracy to fight organized crime, this will come down to that. My guess is that any claim made will be rejected as they did not make a claim with the U.S. Foreign Claims Settlement Commission in 1964.

Even more interesting is the missing Disney Film and Prints that are in dispute. I can't tell if they were just exiting films showing in Cuba at the time of the revolution or if Disney was filming in Cuba at the time. http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/pages/attachments/2014/08/05/cu-2543_2544.pdf

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I see this has started up. People are saying "all this stuff will take years".

Apple, Google, Microsoft, Philip Morris (or whatever they're called now), Coca-Cola, IBM, etc. etc. all want access to the Cuban market.

It won't take more than a couple of years.

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I see this has started up. People are saying "all this stuff will take years".

Apple, Google, Microsoft, Philip Morris (or whatever they're called now), Coca-Cola, IBM, etc. etc. all want access to the Cuban market.

It won't take more than a couple of years.

That's why I'm trying to stock up now.

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Anyone have any idea who would have the single biggest claim? I wouldn't think a few million dollar claims would be enough to involve the US government in making demands of compensation, especially considering the profession of many getting paid. Think I read somewhere that the Havana Hilton cost about $30 million and was the largest building in the region at the time. Sure they took that loss a long time ago.

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I think Cuba should expect to work towards making things right with companies on their losses. Because as far as I can see, only Cuba benefits from the lift of the embargo. Maybe someone could let me know what America gets in return? US government should force equality issues and human rights before even considering lifting the embargo.

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Anyone have any idea who would have the single biggest claim? I wouldn't think a few million dollar claims would be enough to involve the US government in making demands of compensation, especially considering the profession of many getting paid. Think I read somewhere that the Havana Hilton cost about $30 million and was the largest building in the region at the time. Sure they took that loss a long time ago.

Hilton never owned that hotel. The building was owned by a Cuban pension fund. It was operated by Hilton, I'm sure they still took a loss.

It's a big building but nowhere nearly as big as the Focsa building down street from it, built 2 years earlier.

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I think Cuba should expect to work towards making things right with companies on their losses. Because as far as I can see, only Cuba benefits from the lift of the embargo. Maybe someone could let me know what America gets in return?

The world's best cigars, and fancy vintage cars, and new vacations for the stars, and big companies get new buyars.

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Hilton never owned that hotel. The building was owned by a Cuban pension fund. It was operated by Hilton, I'm sure they still took a loss.

It's a big building but nowhere nearly as big as the Focsa building down street from it, built 2 years earlier.

Good catch. The book said biggest hotel in Caribbean at the time (Havana Nocturne if anyone is interested). Hopefully that's true.

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