Why The US Has Indicted Former Cuban President Raul Castro Over The 1996 Plane Shootdown?

The indictment of former Cuban president Raul Castro by the US Department of Justice comes as Washington increases pressure on Cuba’s government amid worsening economic conditions on the island. The charges relate to the 1996 shooting down of two civilian aircraft operated by the exile group Brothers to the Rescue, an incident that killed four men and sharply escalated tensions between the United States and Cuba.

According to PTI, US authorities have charged Castro, now 94, and six others over the February 24, 1996 incident in which Cuban military aircraft shot down two unarmed planes flown by the Miami-based organisation. Prosecutors allege Castro, who was Cuba’s defence minister at the time, was criminally responsible for the deaths of the four men aboard the aircraft, three of whom were US citizens.

Raul Castro is the younger brother of Fidel Castro and one of the leading figures of the Cuban Revolution. He joined Fidel Castro’s movement against the government of Fulgencio Batista in 1952 and took part in the assault on the Moncada Barracks on July 26, 1953. He later became a founding member of the M-26-7 guerrilla movement, which emerged as the main organisation behind the revolution.

In 1958, Castro became comandante of the Second Eastern Front. During that period, he drew attention in Washington after abducting 50 US Marines in an effort to stop aerial bombardments targeting his troops and nearby civilians. By the end of 1958, forces under his command had taken control of much of eastern Cuba and were advancing towards Havana as Batista’s government weakened.

After the revolution in 1959, Castro became Cuba’s defence minister while fighting was still continuing in parts of the country. For decades, he remained closely identified with Cuba’s military leadership. During the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, Cuban forces defeated a group of exiles backed by the US Central Intelligence Agency. Castro later moved into senior political office, serving as vice president before succeeding Fidel Castro as president in 2008. He remained president until 2019 and stayed head of the Communist Party until 2021.

PTI reported that Castro is still regarded as influential in Cuban politics. Cuba has also faced criticism for restrictions on political dissent. In 2003, Fidel Castro’s government detained dozens of pro-democracy activists during the crackdown known as the “black spring”. One of those detained was Jose Daniel Ferrer, founder of the Patriotic Union of Cuba, who called on the United States to support opposition groups in 2025.

The charges against Castro relate to a period of severe economic and political strain in Cuba following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The crisis, known as the “Special Period”, led to fuel shortages, falling food production, social unrest and large-scale emigration from the island. Thousands of Cubans attempted to reach Florida on unstable boats, while the US Coast Guard carried out rescue operations at sea. Despite those efforts, many people drowned during the crossings.

Brothers to the Rescue, led by Jose Basulto, conducted reconnaissance flights aimed at locating Cubans stranded at sea and reporting their positions to the Coast Guard. The group also flew into Cuban airspace on several occasions and dropped anti-government propaganda despite warnings from Cuban authorities. Records later made public by William LeoGrande and Peter Kornbluh showed that US officials were aware of the operations and feared Cuba could eventually shoot down the aircraft, creating an international incident.

On February 24, 1996, Cuban military aircraft shot down two planes operated by the group, killing all four men aboard. Nearly 30 years later, the US Department of Justice alleges Castro and six others were responsible for the killings. Jason A Reding Quiñones, US attorney for the Southern District of Florida, said “this passage of time does not erase murder”.

Reported PTI, the indictment comes as Cuba faces renewed economic pressure linked to fuel shortages and US sanctions. Cuba’s government said last week that the country had no fuel or diesel remaining, while Amnesty International reported in 2025 that many Cubans were struggling to obtain food and medicine.

In recent days, CIA Director John Ratcliffe met members of the Cuban government during a visit that took place amid continuing tensions between Havana and Washington. President Donald Trump also commented on Cuba this week, saying: “to a lot of people it’s going to be one of the most important things, they’ve been looking for this moment for 65 years”.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio marked Cuba’s 1902 Independence Day with a message in Spanish directed at the Cuban people. In the statement, Rubio said: “...and I want to tell you that we, in the US, are offering to help you not only to alleviate the current crisis but also to build a better future.” The message criticised the Cuban government and Raul Castro and referred to current president Miguel Diaz-Canel while calling for political change in Cuba.

According to PTI, opposition to the Castro leadership has remained a major political issue among many Cuban-Americans since the 1960s, particularly in Florida, where Cuba policy continues to carry political significance.

(With inputs from PTI)