The United States Department of Justice announced criminal charges on Wednesday against former Cuban leader Raúl Castro, accusing him of orchestrating the 1996 downing of two civilian aircraft that resulted in the deaths of four people, three of whom were American citizens.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche unveiled the indictment at Miami’s Freedom Tower, charging the 94-year-old former head of the Cuban armed forces with conspiracy to kill US nationals, destruction of aircraft, and four counts of murder.
The charges stem from a high-profile incident involving the “Brothers to the Rescue” group, whose planes were shot down between Cuba and Florida nearly three decades ago. The victims were identified as Armando Alejandre Jr., Carlos Alberto Costa, Mario Manuel de la Peña, and Pablo Morales.
A Pressure Campaign Intensifies
The indictment marks a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to force political and economic reform within Cuba’s one-party system.
“The United States, and President Trump, does not, and will not, forget its citizens,” Blanche stated.
The move follows a series of aggressive U.S. policies toward Havana, including sweeping sanctions and an oil blockade that have exacerbated food and energy shortages on the island. U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have increasingly targeted GAESA—the military-run conglomerate that dominates Cuba’s economy—blaming it for the country’s humanitarian struggles.
Havana Rejects Charges
In Cuba, President Miguel Díaz-Canel swiftly condemned the indictment, dismissing it as a “political manoeuvre, devoid of any legal foundation.”
Díaz-Canel alleged that the U.S. is distorting history to “justify the folly of a military aggression against Cuba,” maintaining that the 1996 downing was an act of “legitimate self-defence within its jurisdictional waters.”
While Blanche did not confirm whether the U.S. intends to forcibly seize the nonagenarian former leader, he noted that an arrest warrant has been issued. “We expect he will show up here, by his own will or another way,” Blanche said.
Legal and Diplomatic Uncertainty
Legal experts remain divided on the practical application of the indictment. While attorney Lindsey Lazopoulos Friedman described the evidence as “compelling,” few expect the case to follow standard legal proceedings.
The move has drawn comparisons to the U.S. indictment and subsequent military seizure of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this year. However, analysts suggest the geopolitical implications for Cuba are distinct.
“It’s unlikely that the Cuban regime will surrender to the United States without a fight,” said Roxanna Vigil, an international affairs fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. “Any move that includes working with the Cuban regime would be very difficult for the Cuban diaspora in the United States to accept.”
For the Cuban-American exile community in Miami, the announcement was met with relief. Attendees at the Freedom Tower event described the indictment as a long-overdue step toward accountability for the 67-year-old regime.
As Washington and Havana have held limited “conversations” in recent months, the introduction of these criminal charges casts significant doubt on the future of diplomatic thawing, with state media in Cuba reinforcing a “no surrender” stance.
