Regueiro is the son of José López Vilaboy, who during his ownership of the airport in the 1950s, transformed it from a small, outdated airport into Cuba’s main international airport, serving Havana and surrounding cities. The Cuban government confiscated the airport without any compensation to Vilaboy shortly after the communist Castro regime seized power in 1959. Since then, a number of airlines, including U.S.-based airlines, have routinely used the airport for transporting cargo and passengers.

The Helms-Burton Act provides Cuban-Americans whose properties in Cuba were confiscated by the communist Castro dictatorship, with the right to recover damages from persons and entities that traffic in, or benefit from trafficking in, their properties. The Act also provides for treble damages against a defendant that received prior notice of the claim and did not stop its trafficking or compensate the owners of the confiscated property.

Click the links below to see media coverage.

EFE – Presentan demanda contra American Airlines y LATAM bajo la ley Helms-Burton

Associated Press – Demandan a American y LATAM por uso de aeropuerto de Cuba

Reuters – Demandan a American Airlines y LATAM en EEUU por uso de aeropuerto en Cuba

Fox News – Cuban-American claims to be rightful owner of Havana airport, sues airlines 

The Business Times – American Airlines, Latam face lawsuit over Cuba business 

Law Vanguardia – Presentan demandas contra American Airlines y LATAM bajo la ley Helms-Burton 

Telemundo – Presentan demanda contra American Airlines

Radio Rebelde – Demandadas dos aerolíneas bajo la Ley Helms-Burton contra Cuba 

UOL Noticias – American Airlines e Latam são processadas nos EUA por operar em Cuba

El Nuevo Dia – Las aerolíneas American y Latam reciben las primeras demandas por hacer negocios en Cuba 

LECHO Touristique – Aéroport de la Havane : des compagnies aériennes poursuivies en justice 

The Wall Street Journal – American Airlines, Latam Airlines Sued Over Seized Cuban Airport 

S. News – Cuban-American Sues American Airlines, Latam Airlines for ‘Trafficking’ in Havana Airport

Reuters – Cuban-American sues American Airlines, Latam Airlines for ‘trafficking’ in Havana airport

Daily Business Review – American and LATAM Airlines Hit With Helms-Burton Lawsuit 

Law 360 – Airlines Hit With Helms-Burton Suit Over Cuba’s Main Airport

Miami Herald (video) – Miami man who says he’s rightful owner of Havana’s airport sues American Airlines

El Nuevo Herald (video) – American Airlines enfrenta demanda por el uso del aeropuerto de La Habana

NBC – American Airlines is latest company sued for operating in expropriated property in Cuba 

WLRN (sound clip) – American Airlines Sued For Operating On Seized Property In Cuba

Global Investigations Review – American Airlines and LATAM sued under Helms-Burton Act 

El Economista – Demandan a American y LATAM por uso de aeropuerto de Cuba 

Ciber Cuba – Presentan demanda contra American Airlines y LATAM por operar en el aeropuerto de La Habana 

The post Rivero Mestre files Helms-Burton Act lawsuit against American Airlines on behalf of rightful owner of José Martí International Airport; seeks treble damages appeared first on RIVERO MESTRE LLP | Miami + New York Attorneys | International Law | Commercial Litigation.

• Melia Hotels International, S.A., and its subsidiary Melia Hotels USA, LLC.;
• Expedia, Inc., and its subsidiaries Trivago, Hotels.com, Orbitz, and Travelocity.com; and
• Booking Holdings, Inc., and its subsidiary Booking.com

The Helms-Burton Act provides Cuban-Americans, whose properties in Cuba were confiscated by the communist Castro dictatorship, with the right to recover damages from persons and entities that traffic in, or benefit from trafficking in, their properties. The Act also provides for treble damages against a defendant that received prior notice of the claim and did not stop its trafficking or compensate the owners of the confiscated property. Previously named defendants include:

• Grupo Hotelero Gran Caribe;
• Corporación de Comercio y Turismo Internacional Cubanacán S.A.;
• Grupo de Turismo Gaviota S.A.; and
• Trivago GmbH.

The lawsuit originally was filed by Marisela Mata and Bibiana Hernandez, descendants of Antonio Mata y Alvarez, who built the San Carlos Hotel in Cienfuegos in 1925 and left Cuba after the Cuban government confiscated the hotel in 1962. The lawsuit sought individual damages and damages on behalf of a class of similarly-situated individuals. The amendment adds plaintiffs from three other families whose properties in Varadero, Cayo Coco, and Cienfuegos, Cuba also were confiscated by the communist Castro regime and later trafficked by the same Cuban, U.S., and European entities.

Click the links below to see media coverage.

Daily Business Review – Meliá’s Cuban Hotels Hit With Helms-Burton Class Action

El Nuevo Herald – Melia, Expedia y Booking incluidas en demanda en Miami bajo ley Helms-Burton

ABC Internacional – Tres familias de EE.UU. incluyen a Meliá en la demanda por el embargo de Cuba

ABC Ultima Hora – Las seis noticias que debes conocer hoy, jueves 12 de septiembre

Hispanidad – Exclusivas de la prensa de papel

Noticias Sin – Melia, Expedia y Booking incluidas en demanda en Miami bajo ley Helms-Burton

CiberCuba – Meliá enfrenta su primera demanda en EEUU bajo la Ley Helms-Burton

CincoDías – Díaz-Canel respalda a Meliá en la apertura de su último hotel en Cuba

The post Rivero Mestre adds travel tech giants Expedia and Booking.com to Helms-Burton lawsuit; seeks treble damages appeared first on RIVERO MESTRE LLP | Miami + New York Attorneys | International Law | Commercial Litigation.

Rivero Mestre attorneys, Andrés Rivero, Jorge A. Mestre, Charles E. Whorton, Alan H. Rollnick and Amanda McGovern filed class actions against UnitedHealthCare Services Inc. and Florida Blue to obtain insurance coverage for almost 9,000 insureds nationwide after they were denied coverage for Harvoni, the first-ever cure for hepatitis C.

The 13th Annual Most Effective Lawyers special report recognizes the extraordinary work performed by South Florida attorneys in the past year. The honorees were selected from more than 100 nominations. Attorneys were asked to show proof of positive results obtained for their clients, illustrating obstacles overcome and their impact on public policy and business interests. The Daily Business Review recognized more than 40 attorneys in 10 practice areas.

Click here to read the Daily Business Review’s special report.

About Rivero Mestre LLP

Rivero Mestre, from its offices in Miami and New York, represents clients from investigation to verdict and appeal in complex business disputes in U.S. federal courts, state courts, and domestic and international arbitration proceedings. The firm’s practice focuses primarily on representing corporate and institutional clients in a broad range of complex commercial disputes including financial institution matters, intellectual property disputes, and litigation and arbitration relating to Latin American trade and investment. For more information, visit www.riveromestre.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss.

The post Rivero Mestre Recognized in Daily Business Review’s 13th Annual Most Effective Lawyers appeared first on RIVERO MESTRE LLP | Miami + New York Attorneys | International Law | Commercial Litigation.

Mestre was a guest lecturer at the College of Law’s course on Securities Enforcement Law. Among other things, the course examines enforcement processes of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from the perspective of both the government and the private practitioner. The discussion focused on several key issues involved in securities class action litigation, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, class certification, and multi-district litigation.

Mestre’s practice is focused exclusively on commercial litigation, including international arbitration and litigation. Mestre is also an adjunct professor at St. Thomas University School of Law, where he teaches international arbitration.

The post Jorge A. Mestre spoke about Private Securities Class Action Litigation at the Florida International University College of Law appeared first on RIVERO MESTRE LLP | Miami + New York Attorneys | International Law | Commercial Litigation.