Cuba and U.S. officials have begun to untangle one of the most complex obstacles to the normalization of their relations. The claims of billions of dollars for the nationalization of U.S. companies are weighed against Cuban counter-claims for damages caused by the U.S. blockade. Nearly 6,000 U.S. corporations and individuals were awarded almost US$2 billion for factories, farms, homes and other assets after the victory of the Cuban Revolution. Those claims are now worth roughly US$8 billion. The damage done to Cuba by the blockade and other attacks is estimated within the range of US$121 billion to more than US$300 billion. teleSUR