Exxon Mobil Corp. v. Corporación CIMEX, S. A. (Cuba)

In the 2026 case of Exxon Mobil Corp. v. Corporación CIMEX, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Helms-Burton Act allows American nationals to sue Cuban government-owned entities for trafficking in confiscated property without needing to satisfy the specific exceptions of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA). Writing for the majority, Justice Kavanaugh argued that the law’s unique structure and presidential suspension authority clearly indicate a congressional intent to waive sovereign immunity for these agencies. The Court concluded that requiring plaintiffs to meet FSIA standards would effectively nullify the private right of action Congress established to provide remedies for wrongful seizures. In contrast, Justice Kagan’s dissent contended that the Helms-Burton Act lacks the "unmistakably clear" language required to abrogate immunity, suggesting instead that the two statutes should coexist. This landmark decision clarifies the jurisdictional boundaries for litigation involving foreign state instrumentalities and property claims tied to the Cuban embargo. Consequently, the case was reversed and remanded to allow the litigation against the Cuban companies to proceed.