US Indicts Raúl Castro Over 1996 Downing of Exile Planes

US Indictment of Raúl Castro

United States federal prosecutors have indicted former Cuban President Raúl Castro in connection with the 1996 downing of aircraft operated by the Miami-based exile group Brothers to the Rescue. The indictment, issued by a U.S. grand jury, charges Castro and five other individuals with conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, murder, and the destruction of aircraft.

According to the charges, Castro is specifically accused of one count of conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, four counts of murder, and two counts of destruction of aircraft. The other defendants named in the indictment include former Cuban pilots.

Details of the 1996 Incident

The charges stem from events that occurred on February 24, 1996. During this incident, the Cuban military shot down two planes traveling between Cuba and Florida. The aircraft were operated by Brothers to the Rescue, an organization based in Miami composed of Cuban exiles.

Four people died as a result of the shoot-downs. The U.S. Department of Justice alleges that the downing of the planes was a coordinated effort involving the defendants.

Political Context

The legal action comes as part of an escalation in pressure from the Trump administration toward Cuba. Federal prosecutors unveiled the case as part of this broader shift in U.S. policy toward the island nation.