US charges Cuba’s Raúl Castro over 1996 plane shootdown
The United States has formally charged former Cuban leader Raúl Castro with conspiracy to kill US nationals and other crimes linked to the 1996 shooting down of two civilian aircraft over the Florida Strait.
The indictment, announced on Wednesday, relates to the downing of planes belonging to the Cuban-American group “Brothers to the Rescue,” an incident that killed four people, including three US citizens.
US prosecutors allege that Castro, then head of Cuba’s armed forces, and five other officials were responsible for ordering or enabling the attack, which has long been a major source of tension between Washington and Havana.
At a press briefing in Miami, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the charges include conspiracy to kill US nationals, destruction of aircraft, and four counts of murder.
“The United States, and President Trump, does not, and will not, forget its citizens,” Blanche said.
The murder charges each carry the possibility of life imprisonment or the death penalty under US law, although Castro is unlikely to appear in court due to his age and location.
The move comes amid renewed political pressure on Cuba from the administration of Donald Trump, which has intensified sanctions and rhetoric against Havana.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel rejected the indictment, calling it a “political manoeuvre” and accusing Washington of using the case to justify further pressure on Cuba’s communist government.
He said Cuba acted in “legitimate self-defence within its jurisdictional waters” and warned against what he described as attempts to destabilise the country.
The US State Department has not confirmed whether it will attempt to arrest Castro, but officials said a warrant is in place.
Acting Attorney General Blanche said authorities “expect he will show up here, by his own will or another way,” without providing further details.
The case revives one of the most controversial episodes in US–Cuba relations during the 1990s, when Cuban military forces shot down two civilian aircraft operated by anti-government activists based in Florida.
The incident led to international condemnation of Havana at the time and remains a deeply emotional issue among Cuban-American communities in the United States, particularly in Miami.
Supporters of the indictment welcomed the move, saying it represents long-awaited accountability for the victims’ families.
Critics, however, argue the case is politically motivated and unlikely to result in an arrest or trial, given Castro’s age and Cuba’s refusal to cooperate with US extradition requests.
The announcement also comes as Washington maintains economic pressure on Cuba, including sanctions and restrictions aimed at the country’s military-linked economic conglomerate.
US officials argue that these measures are necessary to push for political and economic reforms in Cuba, while Cuban authorities say the sanctions are responsible for worsening shortages and power outages on the island.
Analysts say the indictment is unlikely to immediately change relations between the two countries, which have fluctuated between limited engagement and deep hostility for decades.
While Raúl Castro has largely withdrawn from public leadership roles in recent years, he remains a symbolic figure within Cuba’s political system as a key figure of the Cuban Revolution.
The case is expected to further strain already fragile US–Cuba relations, with both sides maintaining sharply opposing narratives over the 1996 incident.
