High Court of England, London. Photo: Taken from @OscarCubaMinjus.
This Thursday, February 2, the trial corresponding to the lawsuit filed by the vulture fund CRF I Limited against the National Bank and the Republic of Cuba before the High Court of London concluded.
On Wednesday and Thursday, the final reports of the lawyers for each party were presented, attended by the Cuban Justice Minister, Oscar Manuel Silvera Martínez. After the sessions concluded, he agreed to answer a few questions.
Why did you consider it important to go to London?
– The Cuban State was sued in the High Court of London. I chair a work system to defend the position of the National Bank and the State, made up of prestigious lawyers and representatives of the institutions in charge of these issues.
“As is known, during these two weeks the trial that examined the evidence took place. Due to the importance of the matter, and considering the transparency of the position we defend, we decided to be present in court. Work issues prevented me from being physically during all the days, but fortunately we were able to be in the final arguments of our lawyers.
What is your perception about the development of the trial?
– From Havana, in the first stage, and from here afterwards, we have kept ourselves permanently informed about the progress of the trial. The scheduled schedule was met. I want to highlight the seriousness and strict adherence to the rules by the English court and its authorities in the organization of each one of the moments of the process.
“Several witnesses proposed by our lawyers testified from Havana in real time, and I also want to highlight the organization that allowed compliance with the technological and legal protocols required by the English court.”
Were there substantial revelations that change the position of the BNC and Cuba?
-No. Our position remains the same. As we have always claimed, CRF is a vulture fund, it is not our creditor, nor has it ever been. What CRF has done is try to appropriate Cuban debt positions through illegal acts. The development of the hearings during all these days does not change anything of the above.
“There is even evidence, documents that have been shown during the process, which show that the vulture fund, intentionally, at a moment as delicate as the passage of Hurricane Irma, tried to pressure Cuba to obtain payment of a debt of which he is not the owner, and, in addition, establish this legal claim.
“Then, with an alleged ruling unfavorable to us, he would try to prevent the free flow of funds to and from Cuba, and thereby effectively block the country’s access to international financial markets.”
Fake news about the trial and media attacks have been published. What is your opinion about it?
–They lie and cheat, because they are not right. If they were right, be objective. What they have tried to do is to discredit the country using as a basis a judicial procedure that, as has been said, is of a commercial nature. Some of them violated the rules of the court, with illegal behaviors that were warned and notified to the police by the court itself.
“Right now, an investigation is ongoing in this regard. Even, bypassing the rules of freedom of expression, they have emphasized attacking, threatening, slandering and harassing our lawyers and the Cuban delegation present in London”.
By the way, Minister, how is the Cuban defense team made up?
–We structure our defense strategy with the legal services of a top-level international law firm in Latin America. This office coordinates the actions through the barristers y solicitors required by English law.
“All our lawyers are of recognized professional prestige, they were hired to face a highly complex legal process in financial, commercial and international litigation matters.
“The lawyers have worked with professionalism, ethics and legal rigor, for which we ratify our support and trust. From their professional duty, they fulfill the mission of defending us in a complex and long process”.
Now that the trial is over, what will happen?
–After all the taking of evidence was concluded, the lawyers of the parties presented their final arguments before the judge, in which they reflected the evidence and legal arguments that support the positions of each one.
“From now on, it is up to the court to issue a sentence, which will be produced according to the flow of matters that are settled in court. The practice of this body is that the sentence is not handed down immediately. Finally, I ratify that our position is to defend the truth”.
I am in London. I will be participating in final days of the hearing at the High Court of England. We defend the truth: Banco Nacional and Cuba confirm that CRF has not been and is not its creditor. @CubaMinjus pic.twitter.com/lbPDPHI7fn
—Oscar Silvera Martínez (@OscarCubaMinjus) January 31, 2023
Trial in London: Vulture Fund admits that it always intended to sue the National Bank and the Republic of Cuba
(Taken from Granma)
