Republican Senator Lindsey Graham expressed his approval on Friday for the Trump administration's move to pursue formal criminal charges against former Cuban military leader Raúl Castro over his alleged role in the 1996 shootdown of two civilian planes from the group Brothers to the Rescue.
Graham took to his X account to denounce the action as "cowardly and despicable," stating that the indictment was "long overdue."
"If the reports are accurate, I commend the Trump administration for seeking a formal indictment against Cuba's Raúl Castro for the cowardly and despicable act of shooting down two civilian aircraft in 1996, which resulted in the deaths of four individuals, including three Americans," the senator declared.
The Associated Press and CBS News have reported that the Department of Justice is preparing charges against the 94-year-old Castro, who was the head of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) at the time of the incident.
According to the Miami Herald, the federal indictment is expected to be unveiled on May 20 — Cuban Independence Day — in a symbolic ceremony at Miami's Freedom Tower. This event is organized by the Southern District of Florida's U.S. Attorney's Office to honor the victims.
President Donald Trump, when asked aboard Air Force One, neither confirmed nor denied the reports: "I don't want to comment on that. I'll let the Department of Justice speak on it."
The shootdown took place on February 24, 1996, when two unarmed Cessna planes from Brothers to the Rescue were destroyed by Cuban MiG-29 fighters over international waters in the Florida Straits.
The four victims were Armando Alejandre Jr. (45), Carlos Costa (29), Mario de la Peña (24), and Pablo Morales (29), whose remains were never recovered.
Both the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Organization of American States (OAS) concluded that the planes were shot down nine to ten nautical miles outside Cuban airspace, without prior warning, violating international law.
The FBI reportedly retained documents regarding a supposed "Operation Venice," allegedly planned since February 13, 1996. There is also an audio recording from June of that year in which Raúl Castro purportedly details the decision-making process behind the shootdown.
Previously, the only individual charged in the U.S. in connection with the case was Gerardo Hernández, head of the Cuban spy network, who was convicted in 1999 for conspiracy to commit murder. Hernández was released in 2014 as part of the normalization agreement between the Obama and Raúl Castro administrations.
Pressure to revisit the case has mounted in recent months. In February 2026, Cuban-American lawmakers such as Rick Scott, Carlos Giménez, Mario Díaz-Balart, and María Elvira Salazar called on the Department of Justice to reopen the case, and in March, the Florida Attorney General's Office formally reopened the criminal investigation.
Congressman Carlos Giménez labeled Castro a "dictator" and demanded that he be charged for "killing Americans."
If the charges proceed, it would mark the first time a former chief of the Cuban Armed Forces faces criminal charges in the U.S. for this case, three decades after the crime.
Key Questions on Raúl Castro's Indictment
What is the 1996 plane shootdown incident?
The 1996 plane shootdown refers to the destruction of two unarmed civilian planes from the group Brothers to the Rescue by Cuban MiG-29 fighters over international waters, resulting in the deaths of four individuals.
Who were the victims of the 1996 shootdown?
The victims were Armando Alejandre Jr., Carlos Costa, Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales. Their bodies were never recovered.
Why is Raúl Castro being considered for indictment?
Raúl Castro is being considered for indictment due to his alleged responsibility in the decision to shoot down the civilian planes in 1996 while he was the head of the Revolutionary Armed Forces.