US government pursues indictment of former Cuban leader Raul Castro

US Plans to Indict Former Cuban President Raul Castro Over 1996 Plane Incident

The United States is reportedly considering indicting former Cuban President Raul Castro on potential charges related to the downing of humanitarian planes in 1996. According to reports from US media outlets, the alleged charges stem from Cuba’s shooting down of planes flown by the anti-Castro group Brothers to the Rescue.

The move comes as part of a broader effort to pressure the Cuban government, which has been subject to a US blockade since 2025. The Trump administration has imposed significant restrictions on fuel supplies to the island, with the aim of pushing for regime change.

A delegation led by CIA Director John Ratcliffe recently met with Cuban officials in Havana, offering $100m in humanitarian assistance in exchange for “meaningful reforms”. Any indictment of Castro would require approval from a grand jury.

The US-Cuba relations crisis has been ongoing since Trump took office for his second term in 2025. The president has repeatedly stated his intention to topple Cuba’s communist-led government, warning that the country is “next” after Venezuela.

Since January, the US has cut off fuel supplies to Venezuela and threatened heavy tariffs against countries providing oil to Cuba, effectively imposing a de facto fuel blockade on the island. As a result, Cuba has faced severe fuel shortages and blackouts, with Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy warning that the country has completely run out of diesel and fuel oil.

US officials have been exploring potential criminal charges against senior Cuban government officials, including those allegedly involved in the 1996 plane incident. The efforts are being led by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.

Source: Al Jazeera