South Florida Sun-Sentinel
July 8, 2004
Cuban-American woman, 95, sues Club Med over seized
property in Cuba
By VANESSA PETIT
The Associated Press
MIAMI -- A 95-year-old Cuban-American woman is suing the Club Med
resort chain, accusing it of building and operating a luxury hotel on
land she says had been confiscated from her family by the Cuban
government.
Elvira de la Vega Glen, who fled Cuba in 1959, claims that the portion
of the beachfront land in Varadero, Cuba, has belonged to her family
for generations and that she helped build a house on the property.
She and her son Robert Glen, 60, want Club Med to pay for making
millions by running the 337-room luxury resort from 1997 until last
year, when it was sold to a Spanish hotel firm Grupo Pinero.
Club Med owns all-inclusive resorts in more than 40 countries worldwide.
``This lawsuit is about Club Med having no right to be there. I will
not give into this fight,'' Elvira de la Vega Glen said Thursday.
Club Med issued a written statement saying it has not been served with
the lawsuit and could not respond to specific allegations, but added
that the company plans to defend itself.
Plaintiff's attorney Stuart Newberger explained that because Club Med
has businesses in Florida, the French company falls under federal
statutes and the suit should be heard in a Florida court.
``Club Med should have known better than to build and operate and make
a lot of money off of property illegally confiscated by the Cuban
government after the Cuban revolution,'' Newberger said.
Newberger notified Club Med two years ago and received no response to
allegations that the company was ``unjustly enriched'' by operating the
hotel. Club Med also is accused of violating federal regulations
applying to firms that try to trade with the Cuban government, in
violation of the economic embargo against Fidel Castro's regime.
Robert Glen remembers spending weekends and vacation time there.
``It's part of my memories, part of me and of my family. We've owned it
for 100 years,'' he said.
Copyright © 2004