Ley Helms Burton

The Helms-Burton Act, officially known as the Cuban Freedom and Democratic Solidarity Act, was signed on March 12, 1996 by then-President of the United States, Bill Clinton. This legislation was enacted in a context of growing tensions between the United States and Cuba, particularly after the downing of two civilian aircraft belonging to the Cuban exile organization "Brothers to the Rescue" by the Cuban air force on February 24, 1996. This incident, which resulted in the deaths of four people, exacerbated the clamor in the United States for a tougher stance against Fidel Castro's regime, boosting bipartisan support for the law.

The purpose of the Helms-Burton Act was to strengthen and continue the economic embargo imposed on Cuba by the United States since the early 1960s, seeking to pressure for democratic changes and improvements in human rights on the island. The law sought to achieve these objectives through several mechanisms, including penalizing foreign companies and citizens who invested in Cuban property that had been expropriated from US citizens after the Cuban revolution. In addition, it established conditions for the lifting of the embargo, linking any normalization of relations between the United States and Cuba to the implementation of democratic reforms and respect for human rights on the island.

The signing of the Helms-Burton Act marked a significant moment in relations between the United States and Cuba, solidifying the embargo as a tool of United States foreign policy toward Cuba. Despite criticism and international rejection, especially for the extraterritorial implications of some of its provisions, the law has remained a key element in the United States' strategy to influence changes within Cuba. The legislation reflects the complex framework of US domestic politics, international law and aspirations for democratization and respect for human rights in Cuba.