Ruptly
"US Department of Justice on Wednesday indicted former Cuban President Raul Castro and 'five co-defendants' on multiple charges related to their alleged role in the shooting down of two civilian aircraft that killed four people in 1996. Castro stands charged of four counts of murder, conspiracy to kill US nationals and two counts of destruction of aircraft. “We are announcing an indictment charging Raul Castro and several others with conspiracy to kill US nationals,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said during a ceremony honouring the victims of the “Brothers to the Rescue” at the Freedom Tower in Miami. The announcement was met with cheers and prolonged applause from the audience. “The indictment was returned by a grand jury sitting in this district in Miami on April 23, 2026, and was unsealed today,” Blanche added. Raul Castro, 94, the younger brother of late revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, was Cuba’s defence minister when the two small aircraft were shot down in 1996. “President Trump is committed to restoring a very simple but important principle: if you kill Americans, we will pursue you, no matter who you are, no matter what title you hold, and in this case, no matter how much time has passed,” he said. When asked about the timing of the indictment, Blanche said he could not “explain or justify why now.” “This isn’t a show indictment,” he emphasised. “We expect that he will show up here of his own will or another way and go to prison.” Responding to a question about whether the US could initiate a military response in Cuba, the acting attorney general said: “I’m not going to talk about what could happen with Cuba beyond that.” Trump also refused to rule out on 'military action', such as that taken to seize former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, against Castro on Wednesday. Castro was one of the central figures in the 1959 Cuban Revolution that overthrew Fulgencio Batista and later held key positions in the country’s leadership. The indictment comes as ties between the US and Cuba remain strained, particularly after Trump described the country as a 'national security' threat, while US sanctions and fuel restrictions have deepened the energy crisis in the country."
Go to News Site