• Submitted by: manso
• international
• 08 / 06 / 2010

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MIAMI, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- A lawsuit by a Florida woman against the Cuban government could shut down charter flights between the United States and the island nation, observers say.

Ana Margarita Martinez is seeking damages on the grounds that Cuba ordered a spy in the United States to marry her, El Nuevo Herald, the Spanish language edition of The Miami Herald, reported. Her lawyers have garnished payments made by eight charter airlines to Cuba for landing rights after a Florida court awarded her $27 million.

The case is now in federal court after moving between U.S. and Florida courts several times. Martinez's lawyers have filed a motion last week to return it to a state court, while lawyers for the U.S. government say it should be in federal court.

The Obama administration has been trying to build new ties to Cuba, arguing that will encourage democracy in Cuba. The eight airlines involved stopped making payments after Martinez's lawyers filed a writ of garnishment six months ago, but Cuba has so far continued to allow them to land.

Martinez was married to Juan Pablo Roque, who returned to Cuba in 1994.

Source: /www.upi.com/