WASHINGTON (PulseWire) — Federal prosecutors announced criminal charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro on Wednesday for ordering the shootdown of two civilian planes flown by Miami-based exiles in 1996, marking the first time the U.S. has charged Castro with a crime. The indictment accuses Castro, who turns 95 next month, of murder and destruction of an airplane for directing the operation that killed four Americans. Five Cuban military pilots are also charged.
The charges, secretly filed by a grand jury in April, were announced at a Miami ceremony coinciding with Cuban independence day. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated, For nearly 30 years, the families of four murdered Americans have waited for justice. They were unarmed civilians flying humanitarian missions for the rescue of people fleeing oppression across the Florida straits.
The 1996 incident involved two Cessna planes operated by the exile group Brothers to the Rescue, which were shot down by Cuban MiG-29 fighter jets near Havana. All four men aboard died. The indictment alleges Castro, then Cuba's defense minister, ordered the attack.
President Donald Trump, speaking at the event, said, We’re going to see regarding Castro's potential extradition, adding, We’re ready to provide humanitarian assistance to a failing nation.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel condemned the indictment as a political stunt that sought to justify the folly of a military aggression against Cuba, accusing the U.S. of lying and ignoring Cuban warnings about defending against notorious terrorists.
The victims' families have been vocal. Marlene Alejandre-Triana, whose father Armando Alejandre Jr. was killed in the shootdown, stood before a giant photo of her father at the Miami ceremony. It has been long overdue, she said, calling Castro one of the main architects of the crime.
This move comes amid intensified U.S. pressure on Cuba. The White House has ordered a blockade choking fuel shipments to Cuba, causing severe blackouts and food shortages. Trump has threatened military action since capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on drug trafficking charges. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Cubans to demand free-market reform, stating, In the U.S., we are ready to open a new chapter in the relationship between our people.
Castro, who retired as head of Cuba's Communist Party in 2021, is widely believed to wield power behind the scenes. His grandson, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, recently met with Rubio. The investigation into the shootdown stretches back to the 1990s, when Brothers to the Rescue flew missions over Havana. After protests, the FAA urged the group to ground flights but they ignored calls, leading to the February 24, 1996 shootdown.
While earlier investigations led to indictments of Cuban officials, only the head of Cuba's air force and two pilots were charged—they've never been apprehended. A fourth individual was convicted of leading a Miami-based spy ring but was swapped during Obama's outreach to Cuba.
The Clinton administration avoided prosecuting Castro, but this latest action underscores Trump's aggressive stance. Acting Attorney General Blanche confirmed a warrant for Castro's arrest, stating he may show up here, by his own will or by another way.
PulseWire readers: Share eyewitness accounts via our crowdsourced platform to verify facts on this breaking story. #CastroIndictment #Cuba #BreakingNews}
The charges, secretly filed by a grand jury in April, were announced at a Miami ceremony coinciding with Cuban independence day. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated, For nearly 30 years, the families of four murdered Americans have waited for justice. They were unarmed civilians flying humanitarian missions for the rescue of people fleeing oppression across the Florida straits.
The 1996 incident involved two Cessna planes operated by the exile group Brothers to the Rescue, which were shot down by Cuban MiG-29 fighter jets near Havana. All four men aboard died. The indictment alleges Castro, then Cuba's defense minister, ordered the attack.
President Donald Trump, speaking at the event, said, We’re going to see regarding Castro's potential extradition, adding, We’re ready to provide humanitarian assistance to a failing nation.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel condemned the indictment as a political stunt that sought to justify the folly of a military aggression against Cuba, accusing the U.S. of lying and ignoring Cuban warnings about defending against notorious terrorists.
The victims' families have been vocal. Marlene Alejandre-Triana, whose father Armando Alejandre Jr. was killed in the shootdown, stood before a giant photo of her father at the Miami ceremony. It has been long overdue, she said, calling Castro one of the main architects of the crime.
This move comes amid intensified U.S. pressure on Cuba. The White House has ordered a blockade choking fuel shipments to Cuba, causing severe blackouts and food shortages. Trump has threatened military action since capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on drug trafficking charges. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Cubans to demand free-market reform, stating, In the U.S., we are ready to open a new chapter in the relationship between our people.
Castro, who retired as head of Cuba's Communist Party in 2021, is widely believed to wield power behind the scenes. His grandson, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, recently met with Rubio. The investigation into the shootdown stretches back to the 1990s, when Brothers to the Rescue flew missions over Havana. After protests, the FAA urged the group to ground flights but they ignored calls, leading to the February 24, 1996 shootdown.
While earlier investigations led to indictments of Cuban officials, only the head of Cuba's air force and two pilots were charged—they've never been apprehended. A fourth individual was convicted of leading a Miami-based spy ring but was swapped during Obama's outreach to Cuba.
The Clinton administration avoided prosecuting Castro, but this latest action underscores Trump's aggressive stance. Acting Attorney General Blanche confirmed a warrant for Castro's arrest, stating he may show up here, by his own will or by another way.
PulseWire readers: Share eyewitness accounts via our crowdsourced platform to verify facts on this breaking story. #CastroIndictment #Cuba #BreakingNews}
