Helms-Burton Act is Illegal and Inapplicable, President of Cuba Says

Havana, June 3 (Prensa Latina) Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez has reaffirmed on Monday that the Helms-Burton Act is illegal, unenforceable and has no legal value or effect.

Cuban President, on Twitter, referred to the Cuban Dignity and Sovereignty Reaffirmation Act, passed in 1996, in response to the US regulations codifying the economic, financial and commercial blockade against Cuba.

The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's statement on April 17 was strongly rejected by Cuba and other nations, so as to end the continuing suspensions of the Title III of the Helms-Burton Act.

The clause openes the possibility for US citizens to file lawsuits in US courts against individuals or companies that 'traffic' with a nationalized property - legitimately - by the Cuban Government after 1959.

This legislation highlights the extraterritorial nature of the economic, financial and commercial US blockade against Cuba.

In a recent meeting, Cuban MPs and jurists restated that the nationalizations and corresponding compensations were made in accordance with the sovereign right of Cuba and foreign norms.

They stressed that Cuban law includes in its 14 articles the willingness to negotiate with Washington the pending nationalizations issues.

It also includes addressing the compensation owed to the State and the Cuban people for the 60-year aggression damages, always on the basis of equality and mutual respect.