Cuba Denounces U.S. Violation of Intellectual Property Rights

Cuba denounced at the World Trade Organization the U.S. violations of the resolutions of the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) on intellectual property rights.Nancy Madrigal, charge d’affaires of international organizations in Geneva, said Washington has maintained Section 211 of their Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1998, despite insisting calls to its derogation.

Madrigal said that in 2002, the DSB determined the incompatibility of that measure with the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights and the Paris Convention.

“As a consequence of the illegal Section 2011, Bacardi continues marketing a line of rum by misusing the Havana Club brand,” Madrigal stated.

Those violations are protected in the inhumane and illegal economic, financial and trade blockade the United States has imposed on Cuba, she noted.

“Cuba wishes to show once again at this body that the United States is just a member of this Organization, with equal rights and obligations as the others.

Meanwhile the United States does not comply with those obligations imposed by the DSB in multiple disputes, it is in state of absolute illegality,” Madrigal said.

Delegations from Angola, Brazil, China, Ecuador, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, Venezuela and Zimbabwe supported Cuba’s demand. (Taken from PL)