A U.S. Department of Justice official said Washington was preparing to indict former Cuban president Raúl Castro in connection with the 1996 downing of aircraft operated by "Brothers to the Rescue", a Miami-based exile group that conducted search-and-rescue flights for Cuban migrants.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the move “sounds imminent”, although any indictment would still need to be approved by a grand jury. The case is expected to focus on the destruction of the aircraft, an incident that killed four people and deepened tensions between Washington and Havana.
Raúl Castro, 94, served as Cuba’s president from 2008 to 2018 and remains one of the most influential figures associated with the island’s communist leadership. He is the younger brother of Fidel Castro, who ruled Cuba for decades following the 1959 revolution.
CBS News first reported details of the planned case, saying it relates to Cuba’s deadly 1996 shootdown of planes flown by Brothers to the Rescue, a Miami-based organisation that monitored migrant activity in the Florida Straits.
Representatives for Cuba’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Justice also declined to comment publicly.
The possible indictment comes amid mounting pressure from President Donald Trump’s administration on Cuba’s government. Washington has repeatedly described the Cuban leadership as “corrupt and incompetent” and has intensified measures designed to weaken the island’s economy.
The administration has threatened sanctions against countries supplying fuel to Cuba, contributing to severe energy shortages and repeated power outages across the country.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida has reportedly been overseeing efforts to explore potential criminal charges against senior Cuban officials.
Although officials from both countries acknowledged earlier this year that discussions had taken place between Washington and Havana, negotiations appeared to falter as tensions escalated over the U.S. fuel restrictions.
Despite the strained relations, the Cuban government confirmed on Thursday that it had met CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
According to a CIA official, Ratcliffe told Cuban intelligence representatives that the United States was prepared to engage on economic security matters if Cuba made “fundamental changes”.
The reported plans to indict Castro are likely to place further strain on relations between the two countries, which have endured decades of political hostility despite periodic attempts at dialogue.
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