Arnold & Porter Secures Settlement in ICSID Arbitration for Republic of El Salvador
Arnold & Porter has achieved a settlement for the Republic of El Salvador in Fibranet, Sociedad Anónima v. Republic of El Salvador (ICSID Case No. ARB/25/6), an international investment arbitration brought under the CAFTA-DR and CACM treaties.
The arbitration was initiated by Guatemalan company Fibranet and its Salvadoran subsidiary Cablefrecuencias. Fibranet alleged that decisions by Salvadoran courts had unlawfully extinguished radiofrequency spectrum concessions, and sought over $130 million in damages, plus interest and legal costs.
On October 31, 2025, the parties reached a settlement agreement. Under the agreement, Fibranet withdrew all claims with prejudice and waived any right to bring future proceedings—whether domestic or international—against El Salvador or its agencies based on the same facts or legal grounds. El Salvador did not admit liability and made no payment. The arbitral tribunal subsequently issued an order confirming the final termination of the proceedings.
This outcome marks Arnold & Porter’s second success representing El Salvador in investment treaty arbitration. It builds on the firm’s recent representation of the Republic of Panama in an arbitration concerning the Panama Canal expansion, where the claimant, Sacyr S.A., sought more than $2.6 billion in damages.
The Arnold & Porter team in the Fibranet case included partners Whitney Debevoise and Álvaro Nistal, as well as associates Sebastián Canon Urrutia and Roberto Lupini. Partners Scott Feira and Jane Wessel also assisted during the negotiations, providing advice on telecommunications and English law.
