SocGen and Paribas were accused of evading U.S. sanctions by doing business with Cuba's central bank after it nationalized and absorbed Banco Nuñez and other lenders, resulting in more than $1 billion of profit for the French banks since 2000.

But in Thursday's decision, U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil said that despite claims by a SocGen whistleblower, the heirs lacked proof that SocGen funds kept flowing through Banco Nacional de Cuba even after the French bank was warned about it.

The Manhattan judge also said she lacked jurisdiction over BNP Paribas, which according to the heirs "routinely" provided cash in Switzerland to the Cuban central bank and transacted with entities that did business with it.

Vyskocil also said many claims against BNP Paribas were too old.

Lawyers for the heirs did not immediately respond to requests for comment. SocGen and BNP Paribas declined to comment.

The heirs had sued under the Helms-Burton Act, a 1996 U.S. law that allows lawsuits against traffickers in property confiscated by Cuba's government.

Litigation was suspended for 23 years because of international opposition and concern U.S. courts could be flooded by lawsuits.

The Trump administration lifted the suspension in April 2019, to boost pressure on Havana to end Cuban support for Venezuela's socialist/communist Dictator Nicolas Maduro.

In November 2018, SocGen agreed to pay $1.34 billion and enter a deferred prosecution agreement to settle U.S. charges over its handling of transactions related to Cuba and other sanctioned countries.

SocGen complied with the agreement, and that case ended three years later.

The case is Sucesors de Don Carlos Nuñez y Doña Pura Galvez Inc et al v Societe Generale SA, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 20-00851.

On Friday January 3, the first deportation flight of 2025 arrived in Havana, with 19 Cuban migrants from the Bahamas.

The group of 16 men and 3 women, most of them residents in the province of Ciego de Ávila, arrived through the José Martí International Airport.

Cuba, which is going through an unprecedented mass exodus, received 1,384 deported Cubans in 93 returns from different countries in the region in 2024, according to official figures.

More than 42,000 Cubans in the United States have deportation orders but the Government of Havana refuses to accept them, a Fox report recently revealed that cites reports from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE).

This figure includes people who have been processed by immigration judges but have not yet been repatriated. The report notes that Mexico could become a starting point for mass deportations planned under the administration of President-elect Donald Trump.

At the beginning of last December, the governments of the United States and Cuba held a bilateral meeting on migration issues to review, among other issues, the implementation of the Migration Agreements begun in 1984.

At the meeting, according to Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Fernández de Cossío, the proposal for mass deportations was not addressed.

Deportation flights for Cubans from the United States resumed in April 2023, after they were paralyzed at the end of 2020.

(Source: Marti Noticias)

The Castro-Soto del Valle family bid farewell to 2024 with a lavish dinner at Punto Cero in Havana, where an abundance of meat, cigars, and fine wine was enjoyed. Photos shared by a great-nephew of Raúl Castro depict an atmosphere of opulence, highlighting a stark disconnection from the reality faced by most Cubans.

The same disconnection contrasts sharply with the deep poverty that persists, teen prostitution, crumbling houses, food rations. Political opponents are executed or sentenced to decades of hard labor. However, the Castro’s continue their lives of luxury without remorse.

(Source: In part -CiberCuba and New York Post  Wednesday, January 3, 2025 - 1:55)

The lavish event took place on Thursday, December 5, at the EFE Bar, a “VIP” establishment he owns, located in the Havana district of Vedado, known for its extravagant parties. EFE Bar is advertising the party in an Instagram story on its account at press time (Instagram “stories” are usually scheduled to disappear within 24 hours).

The communist disaster has dramatically worsened in recent years, and as of July, 90 percent of Cubans are now forced to live in conditions of extreme poverty.

The inhumane living conditions have forced a growing number of Cubans to flee communism in recent years, prompting what is now described as the largest exodus of Cubans in the country’s history. More than 850,000 Cubans have arrived in the United States since 2022. The record-breaking number of Cubans fleeing their country forced the Castro regime to admit in 2023 that the country’s population is collapsing.

Cuba’s rundown power grid, which forces Cubans to live with near-endless blackouts, completely collapsed in October. While the ruling communists managed to bring it back online, particularly in luxurious parts of Havana, it currently operates at a much more diminished capacity. Cubans are expected to begin facing in December blackouts worse than the ones they endured on an almost daily basis prior to October’s collapse.

The Castro regime announced a series of “wartime economy” measures in July with the desperate goal of “saving socialism.” As of late November, the measures have had no effect on improving the country’s dramatic situation, leading to communist officials openly begging international sympathizers of the regime to engage in “economic cooperation” and help fund the authoritarian regime in a November gathering of communists held in Paris, France.

Sandro Castro’s expensive lifestyle has been the subject of fierce criticism from outraged Cuban nationals who struggle to survive in the communist nation. In September, Fidel Castro’s grandson recorded himself partaking in a luxury meal at an elite seafood restaurant in Cuba where dishes range in price from $175 to $437. In July, Castro posted a photo of himself during his stay at El Patrón, a luxurious estate away from the reach of regular Cubans.

The renowned Cuban comedian Otto Ortiz criticized on his social media what he called an unjust measure by the government to start the year: the refusal of some stores to accept payments in MLC.

On Facebook, the comedian expressed his dissatisfaction: "The first one of 2025: there are stores where you can't pay with MLC, only with Clásica, Visa, Mastercard, or cash in dollars."

The "surprising measure" led the comedian to reflect on his social media: "My question is: aren't the MLC just dollars that we give to the State? So, what do we do with them? Can private businesses also choose to charge only in those currencies?"

Although Ortiz did not specify which currency collection stores are operating this way, in the comments section, Humberto McClarin Barrios recounted: "My parents experienced the same thing yesterday at the new store Súper Mercado de 70 that was inaugurated at the Gran Muthu hotel. What a lack of respect! Now we can't even shop in MLC at those stores, so tell me, where are we supposed to go?"

Omar Milanés also shared a similar story: “My wife carried the products to the checkout. You wouldn’t want to see the look on her face. It turns out that since fuel is sold in USD, everything else got ‘contaminated’.”

A person named Asowuano Kmvv shared their experience: "Well, Otto won't be the first in 2025. Today, it happened to me here on the key. I went to pay at the store, and they hit me with that: dollars, Visa or MasterCard. And I asked myself: 'What about the MLC? What are they, and why did I deposit dollars?' The new year is starting off hot."

However, in reality, the measure is not as "surprising." The Cuban government approved a document that regulates the "partial dollarization of the economy," as announced by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz during the fourth ordinary session of the National Assembly.

This measure, which reflects the growing influence of the US dollar in the country, aims to reorganize key sectors of the economy while attempting to manage the impact of the informal currency market.

The partial dollarization scheme will cover the following sectors: wholesale and retail trade in approved foreign currencies; and payment of tariffs and services related to foreign trade for non-state management forms.

Additionally, cash in dollars will be accepted in strategic sectors such as tourism, Casas del Habano, pharmacies, opticians, international clinics, and airports. Furthermore, there will be payments in foreign currency to agricultural producers who replace imports and to those who manufacture exportable goods.

According to the regime, this regulation will also provide greater flexibility in the use of foreign currency for specific economic activities, such as tourism and foreign trade, which are key sectors for generating income amid the economic crisis.

Frequently Asked Questions about Dollarization and the Use of MLC in Cuba

Why have some stores in Cuba stopped accepting MLC?

Following a recent measure by the Cuban government, some stores have stopped accepting MLC as a form of payment and now only accept cash dollars or international cards like Visa and Mastercard. This decision is part of a partial dollarization process aimed at reorganizing key sectors and controlling the informal foreign exchange market.

What is the partial dollarization of the Cuban economy?

The partial dollarization of the Cuban economy is a system implemented by the government that allows the use of dollars and other currencies in specific sectors such as wholesale and retail trade, as well as in the payment of tariffs and services related to foreign trade. This measure reflects the increasing influence of the dollar in the country and aims to attract more foreign currency.

How does this measure affect Cubans who only have MLC?

The measure significantly impacts Cubans who only have MLC, as many state-run stores have stopped accepting this currency, limiting their purchasing options. This situation could exacerbate economic inequality by excluding those without access to dollars or international cards.

What impact has this strategy had on the informal currency market in Cuba?

The strategy of partial dollarization has maintained a relative stability in foreign exchange prices in the informal Cuban market. Despite this recent stability, the economic crisis and shortages of basic goods continue to impact the purchasing power of Cubans.