Supreme Court Lets Exxon Sue Cuban Entities Over 1960 Assets

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Exxon Mobil Corporation can proceed with a multibillion-dollar lawsuit against Cuban state-owned companies over assets seized in 1960. The 6-3 decision, authored by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, clears a major legal hurdle for the oil giant and represents a significant victory for U.S. companies seeking compensation for property nationalized after Fidel Castro's rise to power.

The case centers on assets confiscated by Cuba's communist government in 1960, including an oil refinery, terminals, packaging plants, and more than 100 service stations. These assets belonged to Standard Oil, Exxon's predecessor, which had extensive operations on the island. Since the seizure, Cuban state-owned enterprises have operated and profited from the properties.

Exxon filed its lawsuit in 2019 under Title III of the 1996 Helms-Burton Act, which allows U.S. nationals to sue entities that traffic in property confiscated by the Cuban government. The Trump administration allowed a longstanding presidential suspension of that legal provision to lapse just before the suit was filed. The Cuban companies moved to dismiss the case, arguing they were immune from such...