UK Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Prestige Insurer in Longstanding Dispute

The UK Supreme Court has issued a ruling in favor of the insurer of the Prestige, the oil tanker that spilled more than 63,000 tons of fuel off the coast of Galicia in November 2002. The decision recognizes the right of the London Steam-Ship Owners' Mutual Insurance Association to be indemnified by both Spain and France.

The legal battle centered on whether Spain and France could bypass London arbitration to pursue an 855 million euro claim through Spanish courts. Under the insurance policy for the vessel, disputes were subject to arbitration in London. By filing claims in Spain instead, the states breached the contractual agreement, according to the British justices.

While the ruling does not establish specific monetary figures, it determines that the insurer is legally entitled to financial compensation for breach of contract. The court noted that using the term 'equitable compensation' does not deprive the company of its right to economic redress when contractual obligations are ignored.

This decision follows a series of cross-border legal maneuvers. In late 2024, the Court of Appeal in London rejected an appeal by Spain to enforce a Spanish court judgment that sought to compel the insurer to pay for the environmental damages. British authorities previously maintained that a ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union regarding the matter did not bind UK courts because the European tribunal had exceeded its jurisdiction.

In a separate judicial development regarding high-court leadership in another hemisphere, the president of the Supreme Court of Justice of Bolivia left the country following an arrest warrant issued by prosecutors. Romer Saucedo announced his departure after public prosecutors accused him of trafficking controlled substances and criminal association.

Writing on social media, Saucedo called his exit the hardest decision of his life, claiming he would be more useful in exile than imprisoned or dead. He accused the government of facing persecution and intimidation, alleging that authorities would fabricate evidence to discredit him.

Interim Attorney General José Armando Urioste stated that investigations into Saucedo will continue under confidentiality, noting that authorities plan to request an Interpol red notice. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of Bolivia appointed senior judge Rosmery Ruiz as interim president to cover Saucedo's absence as the nation navigates ongoing judicial controversies tied to recent anti-narcotics probes.