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Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) in reintroducing the No Stolen Trademarks Honored in America Act. This renewed effort would prohibit U.S. courts from recognizing, enforcing, or otherwise validating any assertion of rights by an individual of a trademark that was used in connection with a business or assets that were confiscated by the Cuban government, unless the original owner of the trademark expressly consented to the transfer of the trademark.
A trademark involving Bacardi, one of the world’s largest liquor producers, is illustrative of this circumstance. Havana Club’s assets were seized by the Cuban government in 1959, and in 1994 – although the trademark expired in 1974 – descendants of the Havana Club founder sold the recipe and trademark to Bacardi, who has since produced the rum in Puerto Rico. Around the same time, a Cuban firm, Cuba Ron, filed for and received a U.S. trademark on the name, and partnered with Pernod Ricard to sell competing “Havana Club” rum.
The No Stolen Trademarks Honored in America Act would prohibit the Cuba Ron and Pernod Ricard partnership from using rights related to Havana Club due to the Cuban government’s confiscation of the original company in 1959 and would protect other U.S. trademarks illegally confiscated by the Cuban regime.
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL) is introducing the companion bipartisan bill in the House of Representatives.
“It has long been U.S. policy to support the rightful owners of stolen property. For 60 years, the despotic Cuban dictatorship–through government-controlled companies–has profited from intellectual property that was stolen and rightfully belongs to ordinary Cubans and their descendants,” Rubio said. “I’m proud to reintroduce this bipartisan bill, which ensures that U.S. courts do not recognize, enforce, or otherwise validate any trademark rights from businesses or assets stolen by the Cuban regime.”
“Any confiscation of assets by the Castro regime is and always has been a crime,” Menendez said. “This bipartisan, bicameral bill will protect U.S. trademarks by codifying into law the longstanding U.S. policy of supporting rightful owners of stolen property by prohibiting courts from recognizing the rights of those subjected to confiscation without consent by the Cuban government.”
“I remain firmly committed to safeguarding the intellectual property rights of American companies to ensure that trademarks are protected against confiscation by any foreign government,” Wasserman-Schultz said. “This legislation prohibits courts from validating an assertion of trademark rights in connection with a business or assets confiscated by the Cuban government, and supports the true and just owners of stolen property – a long-held U.S. policy that absolutely must be continued.”
The bill applies a trademark prohibition only if the individual asserting the rights knew or had reason to know at the time of acquiring the rights asserted that the trademark was the same or substantially similar to the mark or name used in connection with the business or assets that were confiscated.
Rubio is the Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women’s Issues.
Menendez is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
RUBIO, MENENDEZ REINTRODUCEN PROYECTO DE LEY PARA PROHIBIR QUE CORTES DE EE. UU. RECONOZCAN MARCAS COMERCIALES ROBADAS POR RÉGIMEN CUBANO
Washington, D.C. — El senador estadounidense Marco Rubio (R-FL) y Bob Menéndez (D-NJ) presentaron hoy una legislación bicameral y bipartidista llamada No Stolen Trademarks Honored in America Act. La propuesta busca prohibir que las cortes de Estados Unidos puedan reconocer, hacer cumplir o validar de otro modo cualquier afirmación de derechos por parte de una persona sobre una marca comercial que ha sido utilizada en relación a un negocio o bienes confiscados por el régimen cubano, a menos que el propietario original de la marca haya otorgado su consentimiento en favor de la transferencia de dicha marca.
La congresista Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL) presentó el proyecto de ley bipartidista en la Cámara de Representantes.
“Hace tiempo la política de EE.UU. ha sido la de apoyar a los dueños legítimos cuya propiedad intelectual ha sido robada. Por 60 años, la dictadura cubana, a través de empresas controladas por el régimen, se ha beneficiado de la propiedad intelectual que fue robada y que legítimamente pertenece a los cubanos del común y de sus descendientes”, Rubio dijo. “Me enorgullece el volver a presentar este proyecto de ley bipartidista, el cual garantiza que los tribunales de EE.UU. no reconozcan, ni validen ningún derecho de marcas, de negocios, o de activos robados por el régimen cubano”.
“Cualquier confiscación de bienes por parte del régimen Castrista fue y será siempre un delito”, Menéndez dijo. “Este proyecto de ley bipartidista y bicameral protegerá las marcas comerciales estadounidenses al codificar en ley la política de apoyar a los legítimos propietarios de bienes robados, así garantizando que las cortes reconozcan los derechos de aquellos cuyas marcas fueron confiscadas ilegalmente sin consentimiento por el gobierno cubano.”
“Sigo firmemente comprometida a salvaguardar los derechos de propiedad intelectual de las empresas estadounidenses para asegurar que las marcas comerciales estén protegidas contra la confiscación por cualquier gobierno extranjero”, Wasserman-Schultz dijo. “Este proyecto de ley prohíbe a las cortes que validen una afirmación de los derechos de marcas comerciales en relación con un negocio o bienes confiscados por el gobierno cubano, y apoya a los verdaderos propietarios de bienes robados, una política de larga data que absolutamente debe ser continuada.”
El proyecto de ley prohíbe el uso de una marca comercial cuando la misma, u otra sustancialmente similar, en relación a un negocio o bienes estadounidenses que hayan sido confiscados por el régimen cubano.
Rubio es el Miembro de Más Alto Rango del Subcomité sobre Hemisferio Occidental, Crimen Transnacional, Seguridad Civil, Democracia, Derechos Humanos y Asuntos Globales de la Mujer.
Menéndez es el Presidente del Comité de Relaciones Exteriores.