Author: Poblete Tamargo LLP

Radio Marti released a follow up report on June 26 discussing the current status of a request for precautionary measures that was submitted by PobleteTamargo, LLP on May 20th to the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights on behalf of Reverend Yiorvis Bravo Denis and the Apostolic Movement in Cuba. 

Despite the submission of the precautionary measures, Cuban authorities have continued harassing and intimidating the pastor and church members. Reverend Bravo Denis’ home, which is also used as a church, is under threat of confiscation by the government. The government-sponsored harassment is part of a larger campaign to restrict religious liberty and property rights in Cuba.

Since at least 2007, the members of the Apostolic Movement have been targeted by the Office of Religious Affairs (ORA) of the Central Committee of the Communist Party. The previous leader of the Apostolic Movement had been a prisoner of conscience until he was granted political asylum in the United States just a few years ago. Now, Reverend Bravo Denis, the current leader of the religious movement, is also dealing with the very same issues as his predecessor. 

Immediately following the broadcast on Television Marti, on June 30, Cuban Government officials intercepted Reverend Bravo Denis at the Airport in San Jose as he was preparing to go to a conference in Peru. Marti Noticias covers the most recent government interference and explains that the government officials prohibited the Reverend from traveling because of the claims that he is a debtor of the Cuban State for the property in Camaguey. The article on Marti Noticias, and the most recent developments are available here. 

The European-based NGO, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has been working with the movement on this matter for many years, in addition to other various cases of religious persecution throughout Cuba. To learn more about their campaign visit CSW’s website, here.  The broadcast highlighting this story, aired on June 26, is available on the Television Marti website. 

Next month in Coral Gables, Florida,The Global Business Affairs Committee of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its 8th Annual International Business Forum.

The Forum will feauture guest speakers who will discuss cyber security as well as the protection of intellectual property and personal data. The panel of experts includes Mr. Arthur Freyre, an attorney at Poblete Tamargo, who will be speaking on data privacy from a regulatory perspective.

If you’re interested in learning more about these issues, there are a few posts on this website to get you started including these files in our e-document library.

The International Business Forum will be held at the Hyatt Regency Coral Gables starting at 11:30am on Thursday, July 9, 2015. For more information please visit the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce website.

On Thursday, June 18, the House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere held a hearing titled “The Future of Property Rights in Cuba.” Two panels composed of former counsel members of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission and multiple certified claimants testified including Mauricio Tamargo, former Chairman of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission:

“There are reports about serious talks in the making between the United States and Cuba regarding the certified American claims. But we should remain guarded and concerned that this will not materialize or that negotiations will not reach a settlement of these claims. The Administration is priming the pump with a number of goodwill gestures and gifts to Cuba in order to get the conversation started, but historically, before these sort of favorable US actions are taken, there is, at least, an outline of an agreement for settling certified claims.”

Poblete Tamargo Attorney Jason Poblete was recently interviewed by McClatchy Washington Bureau about the status of various legislative proposals pending in Congress related to U.S.-Cuba sanctions:

One possible intermediate victory for the pro-trade lawmakers might be to ease restrictions on credit sales of products that are exempted from the embargo, even if the overall embargo remains in effect. Removing the cash-only payment for food and health care items would allow Cuba to buy American products on credit. Such a bill, with its smaller scope, might have a more realistic chance of passing. But that’s far from certain as well.

“It’s not the silver bullet – but for their side it would be a victory and a further erosion of the sanctions,” said Jason I. Poblete, a former Republican congressional staffer who’s an international regulatory lawyer with Poblete Tamargo LLP. As for the ongoing debate, Poblete said, “I’ve been watching this for 20-plus years, and it looks like more of the same – great for sound bites, great for politics, but it doesn’t move product.”

You can read the entire article here.

In a radio interview with Radio Martí news, Jason Poblete discuses a request for precautionary measures that was deposited on May 20, 2015 with the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights on behalf of the Apostolic Movement in Cuba and its leader, Reverend Yiorvis Bravo Denis.

The case centers around a long-term dispute with Cuban government officials to confiscate property owned by the Apostolic Movement in Camagüey, Cuba that is used as a home and church. It is part of a larger campaign by the Cuban government to restrict religious liberty and property rights on the island.

Reverend Bravo Denis and members of the Apostolic Movement in Cuba have been targeted, since at least 2007, by the Office of Religious Affairs (ORA) of the Central Committee of the Communist Party. The former head of the Apostolic Movement was a former prisoner of conscience, but was granted political asylum in the United States a few years ago.

A European-based NGO, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has been working on this matter for many years, in addition to other cases of religious persecution throughout the island. You can learn more about their campaign here.

The Radio Martí story and interview is available here.