SOL MELIA: HELMS-BURTON VIOLATOR?Sol Melia, one of Spain's largest hotel chains, is under investigation for possible violations of the U.S. Helms-Burton act The Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (Libertad) Act of 1996 (Helms-Burton Act, Pub.L. 104-114, 110 Stat. 785, ) is a United States federal law which strengthens and continues the United States embargo against Cuba. . The 1996 U.S. law allows suits to be filed against companies dealing in properties expropriated ex·pro·pri·ate tr.v. ex·pro·pri·at·ed, ex·pro·pri·at·ing, ex·pro·pri·ates 1. To deprive of possession: expropriated the property owners who lived in the path of the new highway. by Cuban President Fidel Castro's government following the 1959 revolution. It also calls for sanctions against any foreign firm deemed to be using such confiscated con·fis·cate tr.v. con·fis·cat·ed, con·fis·cat·ing, con·fis·cates 1. To seize (private property) for the public treasury. 2. To seize by or as if by authority. See Synonyms at appropriate. adj. property. President Bill Clinton, however, has not taken any actions since 1997, largely due to stiff opposition from the European Union European Union (EU), name given since the ratification (Nov., 1993) of the Treaty of European Union, or Maastricht Treaty, to the European Community . The U.S. decision to investigate Sol Melia, which manages 12 hotels in Cuba, may not go any further than that. An unnamed U.S. official told Reuters that U.S. authorities were speaking to the company. "We are in dialogue with the Spanish parties to try to determine whether they are in violation," an unnamed U.S. official said. |
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