The United States is reportedly considering indicting former Cuban leader Raúl Castro in connection with the 1996 shootdown of two civilian aircraft operated by the humanitarian group Brothers to the Rescue, according to officials familiar with the matter. The potential indictment would require grand jury approval and centers on the February 1996 incident, which killed four people after Cuban fighter jets shot down two Cessna planes. A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment on the reports.
The renewed legal scrutiny comes amid heightened U.S. pressure on Cuba, including threats of tariffs targeting nations that export oil to the island and calls for major reforms. Brothers to the Rescue, a Miami-based exile group, conducted flights to locate Cubans attempting to flee the island. Investigations by the Organization of American States concluded the planes were destroyed outside Cuban airspace and determined that Cuba violated international law by using lethal force without warning. Then-President Bill Clinton condemned the attack at the time.
Cuba has long defended the shootdown, asserting the aircraft violated its airspace and posed a security threat. At the time, Fidel Castro led the country while Raúl Castro oversaw the armed forces. Raúl Castro remains influential in Cuban politics, even after stepping down as Communist Party leader in 2021. One individual, Gerardo Hernandez, was previously convicted in the U.S. on conspiracy charges related to the shootdown and later released in a 2014 prisoner exchange.
Florida Republicans, including Sen. Rick Scott and Rep. Carlos Giminez, have urged the Justice Department to pursue charges, with some calling for accountability in the decades-old case. A law enforcement initiative in Florida is reportedly examining potential prosecutions against Cuban officials for economic crimes, narcotics offenses, violent crimes, and immigration violations. CIA Director John Ratcliffe also met with Raúl Castro’s grandson, delivering a message that the U.S. is prepared to engage economically and on security matters only if Cuba undertakes significant reforms.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed that his government has held talks with U.S. officials as the island faces a worsening energy crisis and economic pressure. Díaz-Canel said the discussions, reported first by The New York Times, aim to address long-standing political differences between Havana and Washington, even as the potential indictment of Raúl Castro could further escalate tensions between the two countries.