Federal prosecutors have charged former Cuban leader Raúl Castro in connection with the 1996 shootdown of two Brothers to the Rescue planes over international waters, an attack that killed three U.S. citizens and one U.S. resident.
The indictment, announced at Miami’s Freedom Tower, accuses Castro, who was Cuba’s defense minister at the time, of helping order the strike. The Justice Department unsealed a superseding indictment charging Castro and five others with conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, murder and destruction of aircraft.
Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the charges reflect a continued effort to hold those responsible accountable decades later.
The announcement came during a ceremony honoring the victims: Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña and Pablo Morales. Members of Miami’s Cuban American community, including Brothers to the Rescue founder José Basulto, called the indictment long overdue.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel criticized the charges as politically motivated.
The Justice Department said one co-defendant is in U.S. custody, while Castro remains in Cuba. Officials have not indicated whether he is expected to face trial in the United States.
