The Supreme Court on Monday considered whether it should allow Exxon Mobil to sue for damages against a Cuban-owned company for its oil and gas assets seized during the Cuban Revolution more than 60 years ago.
Several members of the court’s conservative majority did not clearly indicate how they were likely to rule in the case, but the court’s liberal minority appeared highly skeptical of the oil major’s claims that a 1996 law bypassed established legal requirements for challenging a foreign nation or foreign-owned company.
“It seems you are asking us to do something very unusual here,” said Justice Elena Kagan in an exchange with Deputy Solicitor General Curtis Gannon, who argued in support of Exxon.
The oil major is seeking compensation for $70 million (in 1960 dollars) in oil and gas assets that were seized following the 1959 Cuban Revolution by Fidel Castro’s government. The assets are now controlled by the Cuban-owned company Corporación Cimex.
