U.S. moving to indict Cuba's Raúl Castro, sources say
Yahoo • • general
Key Points:
- The U.S. is preparing to indict former Cuban leader Raúl Castro, aged 94, over the 1996 downing of planes operated by the exile group Brothers to the Rescue, pending grand jury approval.
- The 1996 incident involved Cuban MiG-29 jets shooting down two Cessnas outside Cuban airspace, killing four people, which was widely condemned by the U.S. and found to violate international law by the Organization of American States.
- The move to indict Castro is part of a broader U.S. strategy to pressure Cuba, including threats of tariffs on countries exporting oil to Cuba and efforts targeting Cuban Communist Party leaders for various crimes.
- Despite stepping down as party leader in 2021, Raúl Castro remains influential in Cuba, with his grandson acting as a key liaison to the U.S., where officials have communicated a readiness to engage with Cuba only if fundamental reforms occur.
- Florida officials and lawmakers have recently renewed calls and investigations related to the 1996 shootdown, seeking accountability and justice for the victims of the incident.