WASHINGTON -- The Clinton administration has warned executives from two more foreign companies operating in Cuba that they stand to lose travel rights to the United States unless they stop using property claimed by U.S. citizens.
The State Department has notified executives of the Israeli-owned company, Group BM, and the Panamanian company, Motores Internacionales, that they appear to be in violation of the Helms-Burton Act, which seeks to punish foreigners benefiting from property lost by Americans under the Cuban Revolution.
Under Helms-Burton, company officers and their minor children -- even major shareholders -- face being barred from U.S. territory for profiting from or improving such properties. There are 5,911 American claims registered with the U.S. Treasury Department and thousands of additional claims by exiles who have become naturalized Americans.
Group BM, in partnership with Union Nacional de Citricos, manages one-third of all citrus products exported by Cuba, operating in Matanzas and the Isle of Youth. U.S. officials said there are ``scores and scores'' of claims against property managed by BM, including a 96,000-acre plantation in Jaguey Grande.
Administration officials in Washington and Tel Aviv have conveyed their concerns to the Israeli government, which they said has not objected to the action.
The case against the Panamanian firm stems from a complaint from a Miami jewelry store owner that his family's house was being used to sell cars. After a friend provided exile Jesus Capin with photos of his house beneath signs for Mitsubishi and Motores Internacionales, Capin notified the State Department's Helms-Burton unit.
Summoned to the State Department, Mitsubishi executives last week disassociated themselves from the Panamanian firm, saying their cars are sold to a wholesaler in Japan before being sold to Motores Internacionales in Panama. That leaves them little control over how or where their cars are sold.
The State Department sent Motores Internacionales a warning letter Jan. 14.
The head of that company is Lew Rodin, who also holds major investments in shipping and cargo removal, according to U.S. and Panamanian sources.
Both Rodin and his son Martin -- who operates the Havana branch -- are believed to hold dual Panamanian and U.S. citizenship. By holding an American passport, they would be exempt from the travel ban, U.S. officials conceded, but as many as eight members of their executive board would not.
Herald staff writer Juan O. Tamayo contributed to this report.
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