US Justice Department indicts former Cuban president Raúl Castro on murder charges
On May 20, 2026, the US Justice Department indicted former Cuban president Raúl Castro on murder charges tied to the 1996 shootdown of two civilian aircraft that killed four US nationals. Castro, 94, lives in Havana. The move signals a sharp turn in Washington's Cuba posture.
The US Justice Department charged former Cuban president Raúl Castro with murder, conspiracy and aircraft destruction over the 24 February 1996 downing of two civilian Cessna aircraft off Havana belonging to Brothers to the Rescue, a humanitarian group. Four US citizens died in the incident. Federal prosecutors alleged Castro personally ordered the shootdown.
Castro succeeded his brother Fidel Castro as Cuban leader in 2008 and stepped down from his post as First Secretary of the Communist Party in 2021. He is 94 and lives in Havana. The Cuban government had not officially responded to the indictment at the time of publication; formal diplomatic channels between Washington and Havana have been largely closed since 2017.
The charges land alongside a sharper Trump administration posture toward Cuba in recent weeks. US warplanes and drones were reportedly tracked near Cuban shores last week, and Havana has accused Washington of building "a fraudulent case for military action". Extradition of Castro to the United States is regarded as practically impossible.
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