The US Department of Justice has filed criminal charges against former Cuban leader Raul Castro, including counts of murder and conspiracy, directly tied to the 1996 shootdown of two Brothers to the Rescue civilian aircraft by the Cuban Air Force.

This marks the first time the United States has brought such criminal charges against a former top Cuban leader. On February 24, 1996, Cuban Air Force MiG-29 fighters shot down two light aircraft operated by the Cuban exile group Brothers to the Rescue over the Straits of Florida, killing all four crew members aboard.

According to Reuters and BBC, the indictment was handed down by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida, alleging that Raul Castro, in his capacity as Cuba’s Minister of the Armed Forces, participated in planning and authorized the shootdown operation. The indictment notes that the US had previously notified Cuban authorities of the flight plan, yet Cuban military forces still scrambled fighters to intercept and down the aircraft.

The charges come amid ongoing tensions in US-Cuba relations. CBS News simultaneously reports that the US intelligence community is assessing how Cuba might respond to potential US military action, indicating a multi-dimensional escalation of Washington’s pressure on Havana.

Raul Castro, now 94, succeeded his brother Fidel Castro as Cuba’s top leader in 2011 and formally stepped down in 2018, handing power to current President Miguel Diaz-Canel. Given his advanced age and health, the actual prospects for extradition and trial remain highly uncertain.

The Cuban government has not yet issued a public response to the indictment. Analysts suggest this move could further intensify diplomatic tensions between the two countries, though it may also reflect domestic US political considerations.

Sources: Reuters, BBC, CBS News