The Justice Department has indicted former Cuban president Raúl Castro for his alleged role in ordering the destruction of two civilian aircraft operated by an exile group, marking a dramatic escalation in Washington's confrontational stance toward Havana.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the charges Wednesday. The indictment centers on the 1996 downing of planes flown by Brothers to the Rescue, an organization that conducted humanitarian missions over the Caribbean. Castro, now 94, served as Cuba's defense minister at the time the aircraft were shot down.
The move signals a hardening of US policy pressure against the Cuban government and represents one of the most serious legal actions taken against Castro in recent years. The charges underscore ongoing tensions between Washington and Havana that have persisted for decades.
Author James Rodriguez: "This indictment is pure political theater, a gesture to Miami's exile community that carries no practical weight when a former head of state sits protected at home."
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