The United States has charged former Cuban leader Raúl Castro with conspiracy to kill US nationals and other crimes linked to the 1996 downing of two aircraft belonging to the Cuban-American group Brothers to the Rescue.
US authorities announced the charges on Wednesday, accusing Castro and five others of involvement in the shooting down of the planes between Cuba and Florida, which resulted in the deaths of four people, including three Americans.
At the time of the incident, Castro was serving as head of Cuba’s armed forces and faced widespread international condemnation following the attack.
Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the charges during an event in Miami, stating that the case also includes destruction of aircraft and four separate murder counts connected to the deaths of Armando Alejandre Jr., Carlos Alberto Costa, Mario Manuel de la Peña and Pablo Morales.
According to US prosecutors, some of the charges could carry penalties ranging from life imprisonment to the death penalty.
The move forms part of increasing pressure by the administration of US President Donald Trump on Cuba’s communist leadership.
Reacting to the indictment, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel described the charges as politically motivated and lacking legal basis.
He accused Washington of distorting facts surrounding the incident and insisted Cuba acted in legitimate self-defence within its territorial waters.
The indictment comes amid worsening tensions between Washington and Havana, with the US recently intensifying sanctions and restrictions on Cuba.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also accused Cuba’s military-linked conglomerate GAESA of contributing to ongoing economic hardships on the island, including blackouts and food shortages.
Analysts say the charges against Castro are likely to deepen tensions between the two countries, although questions remain over whether the former Cuban leader will ever appear before a US court.
Raúl Castro, now 94, retired from active government leadership years ago but remains an influential figure in Cuba as one of the surviving leaders of the Cuban Revolution alongside his late brother, Fidel Castro.
The 1996 incident remains one of the most controversial confrontations between Cuba and the United States in recent decades.
Source: BBC
