US Patent and Trademark Office wins lawsuit against Barcardi and maintains ownership of Cuban Havana Club ›Cuba Granma

Following the agency’s reaffirmation that the Havana Club is Cuba’s property, rum maker Bacardi & Co. The lawsuit was probably funded by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO).

According to local media, the lawsuit was filed in federal court in Virginia last December because the PTO had renewed Cuba’s rights to the Havana Club rum brand made by Cuba Export and was subject to a lengthy legal battle.

According to Bacardi & Co.

On Thursday, a Northern judge ruled that Bogardi could not sue the PTO directly, for which it dismissed the petition.

Shortly after the news broke, a lawyer for the liquor company, Michael Lynch, said the company was disappointed and was considering an appeal because the ruling would prevent it from registering its own Havana club brand.

The founders of Bacardi, based in Bermuda, left the Caribbean island on January 1, 1959, after the victory of the Revolution.

Source: Latin Press