US indicts Cuba's former president Raul Castro in connection with a 1996 incident
Key takeaways
- Issued on: 20/05/2026 - 19:22Modified: 20/05/2026 - 19:32
- Castro faces charges including murder, conspiracy to kill US nationals and destruction of aircraft.
- Castro was defense minister when the two Cessnas belonging to a Cuban-American exile group were shot down by air-to-air missiles in international airspace.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
The United States has indicted former Cuban president Raul Castro on charges including murder in connection with a 1996 incident, court records showed on Wednesday, marking an escalation in the pressure campaign against the communist government in Havana.
Issued on: 20/05/2026 - 19:22Modified: 20/05/2026 - 19:32
By: FRANCE 24 File photo: Cuba's former president Raúl Castro speaks during a ceremony in Caracas on March 17, 2015. © Ariana Cubillos, AP The charges against Raul Castro, 94, and others were based on a 1996 incident in which Cuban jets shot down planes operated by a group of Cuban exiles. Castro faces charges including murder, conspiracy to kill US nationals and destruction of aircraft.