US Indicts Raúl Castro – The United States has formally charged former Cuban President Raúl Castro in connection with the 1996 destruction of two civilian aircraft operated by the humanitarian group Brothers to the Rescue.
According to US prosecutors, the indictment relates to the February 24, 1996 incident in which Cuban military fighter jets shot down two unarmed Cessna planes, killing four Cuban-American men.
The indictment, unsealed in a federal court in Miami, reportedly accuses Castro and several others of conspiracy to kill US nationals, destruction of aircraft, and multiple murder charges linked to the attack. At the time, Castro was serving as Cuba’s defence minister under the leadership of his brother, Fidel Castro.
US authorities maintain that the aircraft were flying in international airspace when they were targeted. However, Cuban officials have long argued that the planes violated Cuban territory.
The planes belonged to Brothers to the Rescue, a Miami-based organisation known for conducting search missions for Cuban migrants attempting to cross the sea to the United States.
The indictment has reignited international attention on one of the most controversial moments in US-Cuba relations. The 1996 incident drew widespread condemnation and significantly heightened tensions between both countries.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has reportedly condemned the charges as politically motivated, while US officials insist the case represents an effort to secure justice for the victims killed in the attack.
