Overview
- The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in South Florida on April 23 and unsealed at a Miami ceremony on Wednesday, charging Raúl Castro and five others over the Feb. 24, 1996 downing of two civilian planes.
- Court papers and Justice Department officials say the charges include one count of conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, four counts of murder and two counts of destruction of aircraft tied to the Brothers to the Rescue flights.
- Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the case in Miami and said a warrant has been issued, but U.S. officials and reporting say Castro remains in Cuba and there is no sign he will be taken into U.S. custody soon.
- U.S. officials frame the indictment as part of a stepped-up pressure strategy that also uses sectoral and secondary sanctions, limits on fuel shipments and the precedent of earlier actions against allied leaders to extract concessions from Havana.
- Cuban leaders condemned the move as political and warned of consequences while analysts say the indictment is likely to heighten diplomatic tension and reinforce humanitarian strains on ordinary Cubans caused by fuel shortages and long blackouts.