The United States is reportedly moving to indict 94-year-old former Cuban President Raúl Castro, brother of late revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, over the downing of civilian planes nearly 30 years ago.
The potential indictment, which would still require approval from a grand jury, is expected to focus on Cuba’s 1996 shootdown of aircraft operated by the humanitarian group Brothers to the Rescue. The move comes amid renewed pressure from the United States on the Cuban government.
The Trump administration has threatened to impose heavy tariffs on countries exporting oil to Cuba, a move that has contributed to worsening energy shortages on the island as oil shipments decline. President Donald Trump has also pushed for major reforms in Cuba and reportedly floated the idea of a “friendly takeover” of the country.
Although Raúl Castro formally stepped down as leader of Cuba’s Communist Party in 2021, he is still widely regarded as one of the country’s most influential figures.
News of the possible indictment emerged hours after CIA Director John Ratcliffe led a delegation to Havana on May 14 to deliver a message from President Trump to Cuban officials and Raúl “Raulito” Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, the former president’s grandson.
The 1996 shootdown of two civilian planes linked to the exile group Brothers to the Rescue remains one of the most controversial incidents in modern U.S.-Cuba relations, with some American officials continuing to push for criminal accountability decades later.
