Law Commons^™

Entre La Espada Y La Pared: Obstacles To U.S. Investment In Cuba, Thais Lopez

FIU Law Review

Investing in Cuba poses several obstacles to U.S. investors. Cuba’s new Law of Foreign Investment and new Constitution do not provide remedies or protections against the state’s takings of private property or imprisonment without charge. On the U.S. side, Title III of the Helms-Burton Act has made U.S. investors the most vulnerable to claims worth billions in damages under the Act.

Cuban Embargo: An Insufficient Measure To Encourage Us Foreign Policy Interests, Esme Jm Prowse

Major Papers

This major paper examines the Cuban embargo as an ineffective hard power policy and explores the potential of soft, hard, and smart power as alternative approaches to resolve the failures of the 60-year-old blockade. The paper analyzes the historical context and rationale behind the embargo and assesses its impact on Cuban-American relations, regional stability, and U.S. national interests. The study argues that the embargo has failed to achieve its intended goals and has instead perpetuated a cycle of hostility, isolation, and human rights abuses. By drawing on the theoretical frameworks of soft, hard, and smart power, the paper presents policy …

Gender Violence As A Penalty Of Poverty, Deborah M. Weissman

University of Miami Inter-American Law Review

The matter of gender violence, including intimate partner violence (IPV), has long been categorized as a particularly egregious crime. The consequences of IPV are profound and affect all members of the household, family members near and far, and the communities where they live. Gender violence impacts the national economy. Costs accrue to workplaces, health care institutions, and encumber local and state coffers. Survivors are deprived of income, property, and economic stability: conditions that often endure beyond periods of physical injuries. Offenders also experience economic hardship as a result of involvement with the legal system. They often face significant obstacles when …

Transition-Denial And Structural Adjustment: Causation And Culpability In The Cuban Economy Culpability In The Cuban Economy, Jose Gabilondo

Faculty Publications

In 2020, Cuba implemented the Tarea Ordenamiento (Tarea), the most significant economic reform since the construction of the socialist economy after the Revolution. Signaling an eclectic brand of Cuban socialism, the Tarea clears away three decades of tried and failed economic doctrines, drawing a new fiscal border around state enterprises, nodding to market realities, and preparing the island for greater insertion into the world economy. While the political economy of post-Castro Cuba has changed in this way, the United States continues to subject the island to an unprecedented program of unilateral sanctions, universally condemned as a breach of human rights, …

Present And Future Of Environmental Law In Cuba, Daimar Cánovas González

FIU Law Review

The environmental legal framework in Cuba is based on constitutional article 75 and Law 81, of July 11, 1997, on the environment, a framework law on the matter, with a series of complementary provisions with the rank of Decree Law or Ministerial Resolution. The adoption of the new constitutional text in 2019 is followed by the updating of all environmental legislation that requires a new framework law, which fills the gaps in the current one and leads to more effective environmental management. The paper addresses some of the areas in which significant changes have occurred or should occur. In particular, …

The Human Environment: Awakening To The Indomitable Cuban Spirit--Government, Culture, And People, Berta Hernández-Truyol

FIU Law Review

My thoughts are to write about The Human Environment. I will address the recent events concerning the increased silencing of dissent and the criminal law reforms that prohibit peaceful gatherings.

Transition-Denial And Structural Adjustment: Causation And Culpability In The Cuban Economy, José Gabilondo

FIU Law Review

In 2020, Cuba implemented the Tarea Ordenamiento (Tarea), the most significant economic reform since the construction of the socialist economy after the Revolution. Signaling an eclectic brand of Cuban socialism, the Tarea clears away three decades of tried and failed economic doctrines, drawing a new fiscal border around state enterprises, nodding to market realities, and preparing the island for greater insertion into the world economy. While the political economy of post-Castro Cuba has changed in this way, the United States continues to subject the island to an unprecedented program of unilateral sanctions, universally condemned as a breach of human rights, …

Contemporary Crises In Cuba: Economic, Political, And Social, Silvia Pedraza, Carlos Romero

FIU Law Review

In this paper my co-author and I will present the various crises that are taking place in Cuba at present: economic, political, and cultural. We rely on published data, such as the GDP, as well as materials from in-depth interviews and participant observation.

The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same: The United States, Trade Sanctions, And International Blocking Acts, Meaghan Jennison

Catholic University Law Review

When the United States unilaterally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (“JCPOA,” colloquially known as the Iran Nuclear Deal) in May of 2018, that withdrawal signaled not only the United States withdrawal from that deal, of which it had been one of the chief negotiators, but also of a new level of trade engagement by the United States and the Trump Administration within the international community. European countries, in an attempt to continue existing business relationships with the Iranians, pulled an old tool from their toolbox – the blocking statute – to attempt to allow European and multinational …

Popular Consultation And Referendum In The Making Of Contemporary Cuban Socialist Democracy Practice And Constitutional Theory, Larry Catá Backer, Flora Sapio

University of Miami International and Comparative Law Review

The language of democracy and democratic organization is usually spoken only in the vernacular of liberal democracy. Liberal democracy, mostly of western origin centers legitimacy of a political order on open, full, and free election for representatives, as well as a substantially unregulated civic space in which individuals and others can engage in political discourse. This essentially exogenous form of democratic organization has been increasingly challenged in the 21st century by an alternative model of endogenous democracy more compatible with states organized along Marxist Leninist principles. These emerging forms of endogenous democratic practices have been developed along two distinct lines, …

Introducing Private-Property Rights To Cuba: How Cuba's New Constitution Paves The Way For Economic Growth, Renee Monzon

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

On February 24, 2019, Cuba adopted a new Constitution.1 The new Constitution formally recognizes private-property ownership. From the beginning of Socialism’s impact on Cuba, private-property ownership had been legally abolished until Fidel Castro stepped down from power in 2008.2 This new Constitution shows a departure from the socialist grasp on the economy. Cuba likely recognizes that private-property ownership is fundamental to economic growth in capitalist countries and now seeks to benefit from the growth that accompanies a system of private-property rights. Cuba is not the first socialist country to embark on a process of property privatization. This paper will look …

Book Review, Marcos Zunino, Justice Framed: A Genealogy Of Transitional Justice (2019), Mark A. Drumbl

Scholarly Articles

Transitional justice initiatives, broadly speaking, respond to systematic human rights abuses. These initiatives take multiple shapes and forms. This means that the actual practice of transitional justice is diverse and organic. Transitional justice discourse, however, is aspirational, normative and selective. It is less heterogeneous and far more directive. Marcos Zunino’s eye-opening book, Justice Framed, is about gaps between narrative discourse and tangible practice. It is about the effects of discourse on practice. More pointedly, Justice Framed is about how discourse ‘surfaces’ certain kinds of practices of the past while sidelining and ignoring others. Hence, to come full circle, this book …

No Way, Usa!: The Lack Of A Repatriation Agreement With Cuba And Its Effects On U.S. Immigration Policies, Annasofia A. Roig

FIU Law Review

No abstract provided.

America's Past-Time And The Art Of Diplomacy, Alyson St. Pierre

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

As organizations and corporations construct an international reach, they become influential actors in foreign relations between sovereign countries. Particularly, while Major League Baseball continues to recruit players and build a large fan base across the globe, it increases its ability to facilitate civil relations between the United States and other nations. An exploration of how professional baseball provides a useful platform to improve diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba best exemplifies how the League can promote change. Although the United States and Cuba have had a rather tumultuous relationship in recent history, a coordinated effort to improve the …

Setting Sail To Cuba: Analyzing The Recent Introduction Of Cruise Lines And The Impact On American Tourist Freedoms, Alessandria San Roman

University of Miami Business Law Review

After President Obama’s announcement in early 2015 of increased relations with the Cuban government despite the existing Cuban embargo under the Helms–Burton Act and the Cuban Democracy Act, Carnival Cruise line made history in July of 2015 when it became the first United States cruise line to receive approval from both the United States Department of Treasury and the United States Department of Commerce to offer cruises to Cuba. Since its introduction, there has been wide increase in Cuba’s tourism industry. However, Cuban regulations still regulate where and how cruise lines can travel. The increased relations are still in their …

The End Of Special Treatment For Cubans In The U.S. Immigration System: Consequences And Solutions For Cubans With Final Orders Of Removal, Lindsay Daniels

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

In January 2016, former President Obama announced the end of the “Wet-Foot, Dry-Foot” Policy, which granted special immigration benefits to Cuban migrants. As part of the agreement to end this policy, the Cuban government agreed to take back its citizens with final orders of removal for criminal convictions, an action that it had refused to take for decades. This Comment will begin by exploring past and present immigration policies between the United States and Cuba, including recent developments like the normalization of relations and the impact of President Trump’s immigration policies.

This Comment will then explore possible avenues of relief …

Cuba: Déjà Vu Or New Beginnings, Ryan Forrest, Hunter W. Phillips, Magena Rodriguez

University of Miami Business Law Review

That the United States has long had a strained relationship with Cuba is no secret to the international community. Most recently, this strain has been embodied in a commercial, economic and financial embargo that has been enforced by the United States since 1962. That said, focusing only on this limited stretch of history would ignore the greater context of American–Cuban relations. This paper takes a step back to conduct a historical analysis, examine the current state of relations, and to posit on the potential of future economic ties between the two nations. After a thorough examination, an overarching question emerges: …

Contemporary Practice Of The United States Relating To International Law, Kristina Daugirdas, Julian Davis Mortenson

Articles

In this section: Congress Enacts Sanctions Legislation Targeting Russia • United States and Qatar Sign Memorandum of Understanding over Terrorism Financing • Trump Reverses Certain Steps Toward Normalizing Relations with Cuba • United States Announces Plans to Withdraw from Paris Agreement on Climate Change • President Trump Issues Trade-Related Executive Orders and Memoranda • United States, Russia, and Jordan Sign Limited Ceasefire for Syria • Trump Administration Recertifies Iranian Compliance with JCPOA Notwithstanding Increasing Concern with Iranian Behavior

Us-Cuba Trade And The Challenge Of Diversifying A Sugar Economy, 1902-1962, Carmen Diana Deere

Florida Journal of International Law

Prior to the Cuban Revolution of 1959, Cuban exports to the United States held a privileged position in the US market. Many of the country’s exports paid at least 20% less in duties than competitors and after 1934, Cuba’s main export—sugar-- had a guaranteed quota in the US market. Yet these trade agreements—specifically, the Reciprocity Convention of 1902 and the Reciprocal Trade Agreement of 1934—have often been criticized by Cuban and US scholars alike as having condemned Cuba to a monoculture economy.

Moreover, critics contend that the treaties led to the dominance of US capital in Cuba’s sugar industry, and …

Cuban Law & Legal Research: A Snapshot During The Deshielo: A Handout Prepared To Accompany Program D4, American Association Of Law Libraries Annual Meeting & Conference, Austin, Texas, July 17, 2017, Julienne Grant, Marisol Floren-Romero

Faculty Publications & Other Works

Researching Cuban law poses numerous challenges for U.S. researchers. These challenges run the gamut from an inadequate understanding of Cuban sources of law, to unwieldy government websites. This guide addresses those challenges head on by providing a snapshot of Cuban law and an assessment of Cuban legal resources. The guide served as a handout to accompany the program, “Cuban Law and Legal Research: A Snapshot During the Deshielo,” presented at the American Association of Law Libraries’ Annual Meeting & Conference on July 17, 2017, in Austin, Texas.

Investment Treaty Arbitration In Cuba, Rafael Cox Alomar

University of Miami Inter-American Law Review

Not since the fateful days of the 1962 Missile Crisis, has Cuba commanded as much global attention as it does today. The 2014 diplomatic rapprochement between the United States and Cuba, not only did away with the last vestiges of the Cold War in Caribbean waters, but more importantly has coincided with a period of acute ideological effervescence in Havana. Even in the face of President Raúl Castro’s resolute commitment to the principles of the 1959 Revolution, it is more than evident that Cuba is in the midst of a transformational moment. And perhaps in no other area of the …

Economic Coercion And The Limits Of Sovereignty: Cuba’S Embargo Claims Against The United States, Jose M. Gabilondo

José Gabilondo

Without Unnecessary Delay: Using Army Regulation 190–8 To Curtail Extended Detention At Sea, Meghan Claire Hammond

Northwestern University Law Review

This Note analyzes instances of U.S. detention of suspected terrorists while at sea as an alternative to Guantánamo, and how this at-sea detention fits in the interplay of U.S. statutory law, procedural law, and applicable international law. Of particular interest is the dual use of military and civilian legal regimes to create a procedural-protection-free zone on board U.S. warships during a detainee’s transfer from their place of capture to the U.S. court system. The Note concludes that U.S. Army Regulation 190–8 contains language of which the purpose and intent may be analogized to the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure requirements …

War By Legislation: The Constitutionality Of Congressional Regulation Of Detentions In Armed Conflicts, Christopher M. Ford

Northwestern University Law Review

In this essay, Ford considers provisions of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which place restrictions on the disposition of detainees held in Guantánamo Bay. These provisions raise substantial separation of powers issues regarding the ability of Congress to restrict detention operations of the Executive. These restrictions, and similar restrictions found in earlier NDAAs, specifically implicate the Executive's powers in foreign affairs and as Commander in Chief. Ford concludes that, with the exception of a similar provision found in the 2013 NDAA, the restrictions are constitutional.

United States-Cuba Normalized Relations And The Mlb Influence: The Baseball Coalition Committee, Aaron Klein, Jake E. Marcus

University of Miami Inter-American Law Review

This note explores the past, present, and future of the path for Cuban baseball players into MLB. Specifically, this note will explore the late-2014 agreement between the United States and Cuba to normalize relations and its anticipated impact on MLB. Part I provides an extensive historical context of the relationship between the two countries with a focus on the effect that baseball has had on the relationship. Part II draws attention to MLB’s current policies and the resulting hardships faced by Cuban baseball players embark on the journey from Serie Nacional to MLB. Part III concentrates on the legal issues …

Son Los Inmigrantes Cubanos Injustamente Favorecidos En Comparacion Con Inmigrantes De Otras Nacionalidades? La Comprension De La Realidad Comunista En Cuba Y La Legitimidad De La Ley De Ajuste Cubano, Leslie Perez Perez

ILSA Journal of International & Comparative Law

Creemos que el pueblo cubano ser libre de toda tirania

During War, The Law Is Silent, Or Is It: Examining The Legal Status Of Guantanomo Bay, Kate Frisch

Richmond Journal of Global Law & Business

Instead, I argue that international human rights law precludes the existence of any "legal black hole." Human rights law protects the rights and liberties of individuals purely based on their status as human beings, regardless of their location. Therefore, an individual's rights cannot be suspended. As a result, it must be the responsibility of the entity that holds custody and control over the individual to protect those rights. In order to enforce the protection of human rights, international responsibilities stemming from treaties that have solidified the individual nature of the rights must be used as an instrument for enforcement to …

Contemporary Practice Of The United States Relating To International Law, Kristina Daugirdas, Julian Davis Mortenson

Articles

In this section: • United States Adjusts Aid to Egypt in Light of Legal and Political Developments • P51 and Iran Reach Agreement on Iranian Nuclear Program; Obama Administration Seeks Congressional Approval • United States Authorizes New Sanctions Program Aimed at Foreign Perpetrators ofCyberattacks and Cyberexploits • Normalization of Cuba-U.S. Relations Continues • U.S. Navy Continues Freedom of Navigation and Overflight Missions in the South China Sea Despite China’s “Island-Building” Campaign • U.S. Department of Justice Charges Leaders of FIFA, Affiliate Soccer Organizations, and Sports Marketing Companies in 47-Count Indictment

Improving Rhode Island’S Health Care System: Lessons From The Cuban Model, Sarah R. Moffitt

Senior Honors Projects

Improving Rhode Island’s health care system: lessons from the Cuban model

Cuba is world renowned for its health care system. In regards to international health crises, Cuba is a leader in sending workers abroad and training doctors from all over the world. Within its own borders, the Cuban model provides free access to all citizens in which every individual has a primary care provider. Cuba boasts high vaccination rates, a long life expectancy, low infant mortality rate, and a population that is one of the healthiest in the western hemisphere.

The purpose of this research project is to evaluate the …

The United States, The Oas, And The Dilemma Of The Undesirable Regime, James P. Rowles

Georgia Journal of International & Comparative Law

No abstract provided.