Ruptly
"The United States government charged former Cuban President Raúl Castro with offenses related to the downing of two U.S. civilian aircraft 30 years ago, authorities announced on Wednesday. Castro, 94, faces charges of murder, conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens, and destruction of aircraft. Archive footage shows the former leader at a CELAC meeting in Belén, Costa Rica in 2015, as well as at various official events in Cuba. He is also seen alongside political leaders such as Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and former Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel. The charges were announced by Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche; U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quinones; FBI Deputy Director Christopher Raia; U.S. Senator Ashley Moody; and the Attorney General of Florida. Blanche stated that the case against the former Cuban leader reflects President Donald Trump’s commitment that “if you kill Americans, we will pursue you.” According to the indictment, Castro, who was Cuba’s defense minister at the time, allegedly ordered the February 24, 1996 attack in which two aircraft operated by the organization Brothers to the Rescue were shot down. Four people died in the incident: three U.S. citizens and one Cuban legal resident, who was granted U.S. citizenship posthumously. The U.S. Department of Justice also filed charges against other Cuban citizens allegedly involved in the downing of the aircraft. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel rejected the accusations against Raúl Castro, claiming they are “only intended to add to the fabricated case used to justify the madness of a military aggression against Cuba.” The accusations come amid the long-standing confrontation between the United States and Cuba, recently marked by the Trump administration’s ban on fuel shipments to the island under threat of sanctions, which caused serious energy problems in the country, as well as continued calls for regime change in Cuba."
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