The United States has formally indicted former Cuban President Raul Castro over the 1996 downing of two civilian aircraft operated by the Miami-based humanitarian group Brothers to the Rescue.
The incident, in which four people were killed after Cuban fighter jets shot down the planes, has remained a major point of tension between Washington and Havana for decades.
The indictment, filed in a federal court in Miami, includes charges of conspiracy to kill US nationals, four counts of murder, and two counts related to the destruction of aircraft.
Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche said the case demonstrates that the United States “will not forget its citizens” and warned that countries targeting Americans would face accountability.
US President Donald Trump described the indictment as a “very big moment,” while stating that Washington was working to “free up Cuba.” However, Trump also said he did not expect a further escalation in the situation.
Cuba strongly rejected the charges. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez called the indictment a politically motivated move with no legal basis and accused the US of distorting the facts surrounding the 1996 incident. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez also criticized recent US statements as “superficial and misinformed.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed Cubans directly in a Spanish-language message, accusing Cuba’s communist leadership of corruption and repression while promising a “new path” for the country. Rubio also highlighted Cuba’s worsening economic and energy crisis, including long daily power outages caused by fuel shortages, dw.com reports.
The diplomatic dispute comes amid growing tensions between the two countries. Cuba has accused the Trump administration of tightening sanctions and imposing a de facto oil blockade that has worsened the island’s economic difficulties. Relations have also been strained by reports that Cuba plans to purchase more than 300 drones from Russia and Iran.
