CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

Cuba Accuses U.S. of Violating Trade Norms.

CUBA, January 29th, 2011.- Cuba and other 12 delegations including the European Union bloc called upon the United States to comply with the resolutions and recommendations made by the Dispute Settlement Body of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

In a meeting held on Thursday in Geneva, Nancy Madrigal, advisor of the Cuban Permanent Mission to Geneva-based international organizations, said Washington’s inaction and failure to comply with such rules violates Cuban intellectual property. Madrigal added that American courts act against the Cuban government at the expense of Cuban Industrial Property rights that have been duly registered and recognized, Prensa Latina reported. Madrigal warned that it would become another negative precedent of huge impact in world trade, should the pretensions of U.S.-based Cuban beneficiaries of such politically biased rulings materialize.

Once again, delegations from different countries expressed their rejection of Washington’s stance in relation to a lawsuit involving the Cuban rum brand Havana Club. Among countries supportive of the Cuban diplomat’s statements were the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Zimbabwe, Brazil, Bolivia, Mexico, China, Vietnam and Ecuador.

In a clear violation of Intellectual Property right, the U.S. issued a law in 1998 withdrawing the protection of the Havana Club brand name registered by Cuba for the commercialization of Cuban rum, and allowing American company Bacardi to sell its products using the brand name.

Havana Club is a Cuban rum trade name previously owned by the Arrechavala family based in the western region of the country when Havana Club was Bacardi’s traditional competition. After recovering from the state of neglect in which its former owners left it and overcoming the siege resulting from the economic blockade by the U.S., Havana Club is today ranked as one of the best rums of the world. (Cubaminrex-RHC)