U.S. indicts Cuba's Ral Castro on murder and conspiracy charges for downing of planes in 1996

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CBS News

Updated on: May 20, 2026 / 1:45 PM EDT / CBS News


Washington — Former Cuban leader Raúl Castro and five others have been indicted by a U.S. grand jury in Florida in connection with the Cuban military's fatal downing of two planes 30 years ago, the Justice Department announced Wednesday. The federal criminal charges against the 94-year-old Castro — brother of the late Fidel Castro and widely seen as one of Cuba's most powerful figures — mark an escalation in the Trump administration's pressure campaign against the Cuban government.

Castro served as president of Cuba from 2008 to 2018 and as the top official of the country's Communist Party from 2011 to 2021. CBS News was first to report that the U.S. was preparing to indict Castro. Castro was indicted in Miami on April 23 with conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, four counts of murder and two counts of destruction of aircraft, according to court papers released Wednesday. The other five named defendants are identified as Cuban fighter pilots, including a pilot who was initially charged in connection with the 1996 shootdown more than two decades ago.

"For nearly 30 years, the families of four murdered Americans have waited for justice," acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a news conference in Miami on Wednesday. "My message today is clear: The United States and President Trump does not and will not forget its citizens."

It's not clear whether Castro will ever stand trial since Cuba does not extradite people to the United States. Former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro was indicted on drug charges in 2020. Earlier this year, he was captured by U.S. forces and flown to New York for trial, a daring operation that led to the installation of interim President Delcy Rodriguez, who is now working closely with the U.S.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/raul-castro-indicted-us-cuba/

[sop]

1. 'A Cuban exiles' group is at the heart of DOJ's push to indict Ral Castro over a 1996 shootdown'

(The Associated Press, May 20, 2026) "A group founded by Cuban exiles known as Brothers to the Rescue is at the center of the U.S. Justice Department’s decision to seek an indictment against Cuban leader Raúl Castro, a move that would revive one of the lowest points in the two countries’ bitter decadeslong relationship."

"A person familiar with the investigation told The Associated Press that the potential indictment is connected to Castro’s alleged role in the 1996 shootdown of two planes operated by the Miami-based exile group. Castro was defense minister at the time, making him the nation’s highest authority after his brother Fidel."

"The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation."

"Brothers to the Rescue began operating in 1980 during 125,000 Cubans’ unexpected emigration to the United States. Founded by emigré José Basulto, it aimed to help Cuban refugees in the Florida straits by dropping supplies from small planes and alerting the U.S. Coast Guard."

"On Feb. 24, 1996, three planes carrying members of Brothers to the Rescue entered a zone close to the 24th parallel, a short distance north of Havana and some of Cuba’s highest-value targets."

"Cuban fighter planes shot down two of the exiles’ unarmed civilian Cessnas, killing all four men aboard. A third plane, carrying the organization’s leader, narrowly escaped."

"American University Cuba specialist William LeoGrande and National Security Archive senior analyst Peter Kornbluh said this week that their 2015 book, 'Back Channel to Cuba: The Hidden History of Negotiations between Washington and Havana,' shows how the Clinton administration’s repeated warnings about provoking Cuba did not stop Hermanos al Rescate."

“ 'Only after the shootdown did the FAA issue a concrete ‘cease and desist’ order against Basulto for what it called ‘careless or reckless’ operations that ‘endanger the lives or property of others,’ the pair wrote."

Article at link:

https://wtop.com/national/2026/05/a-cuban-exiles-group-is-at-the-heart-of-dojs-push-to-indict-raul-castro-over-a-1996-shootdown-2/

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Cuba should indict TSF and Hegseth for murder of South American fishermen

[Walleye]

4. I was thinking the same thing. We have no moral authority dammit

[sop]

8. Unlike the dozens of fishermen murdered by Trump, the "three planes carrying members of Bothers to the Rescue

entered a zone close to the 24th parallel, a short distance north of Havana and some of Cuba’s highest-value targets." The murdered Venezuelan fishermen were not flying around in small planes a short distance north of D.C. and some of the U.S.' highest-value targets, they were in small open boats right off the coast of Venezuela. Big difference.

Jose Basulto's group, Hermanos al Rescate (Brothers to the Rescue), was repeatedly warned both by the Cuban and U.S. governments not to enter Cuban airspace, particularly areas the Castro government considered sensitive. Basulto's pilots ignored all warnings, and provoked the shootdown.

[Walleye]

3. Some reporter, please ask him. How does this bring down the price of groceries?

[republianmushroom]

5. Will trump be indicted for his killing

on the high seas. Will this indictment set an example ? Downing of a plane, same as sinking of boats, lost of life, sure seems to be the same.

[lostincalifornia]

6. and don't forget the killing of the bombing of the girl's school in Iran during trump's Iran war

[SSJVegeta]

7. Interesting precedent they are setting:

Indicting leaders for war crimes and violation of international law...

[sop]

9. Maybe Trump's DOJ will now indict Bill Clinton for the "kidnapping" of little Elian Gonzales by U.S. federal agents

(specifically Border Patrol tactical officers and the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service) from his Miami relatives' home in Miami. Janet Reno authorized Elian's "kidnapping," but since she died ten years ago, the DOJ will have to indict Bill.

[twodogsbarking]

10. Nope. Ain't nobody able to make up this shit. Nope. Nobody.

[dave99]

11. None charged are US Citizens...

[dave99]

12. The I.C.C. has a few waiting on shitstain and friends to be available Jan 22nd, 2029