US Indicts Raúl Castro Over 1996 Plane Downings
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WASHINGTON — May 21, 2026 —
The U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday the indictment of former Cuban President Raúl Castro in connection with the 1996 bombing of two civilian aircraft over the Florida Straits, a attack that killed four Cuban-American pilots from the group Brothers to the Rescue.
The indictment, filed in federal court in Miami, marks the first time American authorities have moved to formally charge the longtime Cuban leader, who governed the island nation from 2008 to 2018 and served as head of the armed forces for decades before that. The timing places the announcement amid heightened U.S.-Cuba tensions and a broaderLatin America policy review underway in the White House.
According to court documents, the February 24, 1996 attack involved Cuban MiG fighter jets intercepting the small civilian aircraft as they flew a humanitarian search-and-rescue mission over international waters. The planes — a Cessna and a Cessna Skymaster — were shot down, killing Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales. The incident drew immediate international condemnation and fueled a six-week U.S. embargo escalation.
Raúl Castro, now 94, is not expected to face a U.S. court in person. Legal experts say the indictment is largely symbolic, though it could complicate any future diplomatic engagement with Havana. The Cuban government has called the charges “an act of political theater” and reiterated that the aircraft violated Cuban airspace.
The State Department has advised U.S. citizens to reconsider non-essential travel to Cuba and urged American businesses with Cuban operations to review their exposure.Relations between Washington and Havana have been strained since the 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro, Raúl’s older brother.
This development comes as the U.S. also raised pressure on Cuba through separate sanctions announcements this week, part of what administration officials describe as a broader effort to address human rights abuses in the region. Congress has 30 days to review the indictment before any formal proceedings can advance.
The families of the four pilots have long sought accountability. In a statement, the families’ legal representative called Thursday “a measure of justice decades overdue.”
