The U.S. Department of Justice has charged Raúl Castro, the former leader of Cuba, with conspiracy to commit murder of American citizens related to the downing of two aircraft in 1996. This incident resulted in the deaths of four Americans and has resurfaced in the context of ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Cuba.
The charges, which also implicate five other individuals, were initially filed in 2003 but have gained renewed attention. On February 24, 1996, three aircraft belonging to the humanitarian organization Brothers to the Rescue (BTTR) departed from South Florida towards Cuba. Cuban military jets, under Castro’s command, launched air-to-air missiles at two unarmed civilian planes, destroying them without warning while they were outside Cuban airspace.
The attack killed four U.S. citizens: Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales. At the time, Castro was leading Cuba’s armed forces and faced international condemnation for the incident.
The updated indictment includes charges of conspiracy to murder U.S. citizens, destruction of aircraft, and murder. In response to these allegations, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel characterized the charges as a “political maneuver” lacking any legal foundation. He argued that the indictment serves to justify what he termed the “madness of military aggression against Cuba,” asserting that Cuba acted within its rights of self-defense in its territorial waters.
U.S. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche responded to Díaz-Canel’s remarks by emphasizing that “the United States and President Trump do not forget and will not forget their citizens.” He stated, “More than three decades later, we will hold accountable those responsible for the murder of four brave Americans: Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales.” Blanche noted that this marks the first time in nearly 70 years that high-ranking officials of the Cuban regime have been charged in the U.S. for alleged acts of violence resulting in the deaths of American citizens.
“We expect him to appear here—voluntarily or otherwise,” Blanche added, referring to the arrest warrant issued for Raúl Castro.
BTTR was based in Miami and conducted humanitarian flights across the Florida Strait to assist Cuban migrants in distress.
Raúl Castro has been charged by U.S. authorities for his role in the 1996 shootdown of two planes, which killed four Americans. This case highlights ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Cuba, with both sides presenting conflicting narratives regarding the incident.