US seeks indictment of former Cuban leader Raul Castro

The imaginable charges subordinate to Cuba’s 1996 downing of humanitarian planes, US media outlets report.

The United States is readying to indict erstwhile Cuban President Raul Castro arsenic Washington raises the unit connected the island’s communist government.

Several US media outlets reported connected Thursday that the imaginable charges against the 94-year-old member of Fidel Castro subordinate to a 1996 incidental successful which Cuba changeable down planes flown by the anti-Castro humanitarian radical Brothers to the Rescue.

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The determination comes amid a US blockade that has halted virtually each substance supplies to the island, with the Trump administration, aft celebrating its overthrow of Nicolas Maduro successful Venezuela, pushing for authorities change.

Castro, who succeeded his member arsenic Cuban president, is still considered the astir almighty idiosyncratic successful the nation. Any indictment would request to beryllium approved by a expansive jury.

The reports surfaced hours aft a US delegation led by CIA Director John Ratcliffe met Cuban officials successful Havana, wherever helium offered $100m successful humanitarian assistance connected the information that the authorities agrees to “meaningful reforms”.

Escalation

Indicting Castro would people a stunning escalation successful the ongoing situation successful US-Cuba relations, which person deteriorated since US President Donald Trump took bureau for a 2nd word successful 2025.

Trump has repeatedly said helium wants to topple Cuba’s communist-led government, warning that Cuba is “next” aft the US military abduction of Venezuelan person Nicolas Maduro.

The president archetypal chopped the travel of funds and substance from Venezuela to Cuba successful January. He past threatened dense tariffs against immoderate state that provides Havana with oil, implementing a de facto substance blockade connected the island.

Since then, the federation of 11 cardinal has been beset by severe substance shortages and blackouts. Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy warned connected Thursday that the state had wholly tally retired of diesel and substance oil.

At the aforesaid time, US officials person been exploring imaginable transgression charges against elder Cuban authorities officials, including those allegedly progressive successful the 1996 level downing.

The efforts person been led by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, according to the Reuters quality agency.