U.S. Considers Indicting Raúl Castro Over 1996 Civilian Plane Shootdown
The U.S. Department of Justice is reportedly preparing to indict former Cuban President Raúl Castro for the 1996 downing of two civilian aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue, resulting in the deaths of four individuals.
The U.S. Department of Justice is reportedly preparing to indict former Cuban President Raúl Castro, 94, in connection with the 1996 downing of two civilian aircraft operated by the humanitarian organization Brothers to the Rescue. The incident resulted in the deaths of four individuals, including three U.S. citizens and one lawful permanent resident.
The potential charges, which require grand jury approval, focus on the February 24, 1996, event when Cuban Air Force MiG-29s shot down two unarmed Cessna planes over international waters.
This development follows renewed calls from U.S. lawmakers for accountability. In February 2026, Representatives María Elvira Salazar, Mario Díaz-Balart, and Carlos A. Giménez, along with Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, commemorated the 30th anniversary of the incident and urged for Castro's indictment.
The 1996 shootdown remains a significant point of tension in U.S.-Cuba relations. Brothers to the Rescue, based in Miami, conducted missions to locate and assist Cuban refugees at sea. The downing of their aircraft led to the deaths of Armando Alejandre Jr., Carlos A. Costa, Mario M. de la Peña, and Pablo Morales.
Cuba maintained that the planes violated its airspace, while the International Civil Aviation Organization determined the incident occurred over international waters.
Raúl Castro, who served as Cuba's Minister of the Armed Forces at the time, later became the country's president from 2006 to 2018. He stepped down from the leadership of the Communist Party in 2021 but remains an influential figure within the Cuban government.
The Justice Department has not provided an official comment on the matter.