Illustration of planes being shot down with overlay of legal documents related to Raúl Castro's indictment.
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U.S. indicts former Cuban president Raúl Castro in 1996 plane attack

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The U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment against former Cuban president Raúl Castro on May 20 for his alleged role in the 1996 downing of two civilian planes. The charges include conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, destruction of aircraft and four counts of murder. The action targets the 94-year-old leader and several other former Cuban officials.

A grand jury in Miami returned the indictment on April 23. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the unsealing at the Freedom Tower in Miami on Cuban Independence Day. The charges stem from the February 24, 1996, incident in which Cuban MiG fighters shot down two planes operated by the humanitarian group Brothers to the Rescue, killing Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña and Pablo Morales.

What people are saying

Initial reactions on X mix support for holding Raúl Castro accountable for the 1996 downing, skepticism about political timing as a distraction from other issues, and fears of escalation into conflict or regime change.

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