Raúl Castro expected to be indicted Wednesday - a prosecution in the works for 3 decades

Key Points:

• The Justice Department is expected to announce criminal charges against former Cuban president Raúl Castro related to his alleged role in ordering the 1996 shootdown of two civilian aircraft operated by the Cuban-American group Brothers to the Rescue, resulting in four deaths.
• The investigation and indictment efforts date back over 30 years, initially gaining momentum after the successful prosecution of Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega in the early 1990s, with renewed focus following the 1996 attack.
• The shootdown was carried out by Cuban MiG fighters in international airspace and was intended as a message to dissidents in Cuba, with evidence showing it was a premeditated act planned by the Cuban government.
• The FBI's investigation into Cuban espionage activities in the U.S., including the Wasp Network spy ring infiltrating Miami's Cuban exile community, contributed to building the case against Cuban officials involved in the attack.
• Political shifts delayed charges against Castro for years, but renewed efforts under the Trump administration, supported by lobbying from Cuban-American groups, have brought the case to the forefront ahead of a planned announcement in Miami.