The U.S. Justice Department is poised to unveil federal criminal charges this Wednesday against 94-year-old Raúl Castro. These charges are tied to his alleged role in the 1996 downing of two aircraft from the Brothers to the Rescue organization, an incident that resulted in the deaths of four Cuban Americans.
This announcement will take place at Miami's Freedom Tower, coinciding with Cuba's Independence Day and a memorial ceremony for the victims. This information was confirmed by Reuters, citing an anonymous Justice Department official.
Central to the charges is an audio recording from June 1996, captured four months post-incident, in which Castro, then serving as the Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, is heard issuing the orders. In the recording, released in 2006 by journalist Wilfredo Cancio in El Nuevo Herald, Castro is heard saying, "I said try to bring them down over the territory, but they entered Havana and left... Well, bring them down at sea when they appear."
The authenticity of this 11-minute and 32-second audio was confirmed by specialists and Alcibiades Hidalgo, Castro's former personal secretary, who verified that it was indeed Raúl's voice.
The event at Freedom Tower will feature acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones, FBI Deputy Director Christopher G. Raia, Senator Ashley Moody, and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier. The families of the four victims—Armando Alejandre Jr., Carlos Costa, Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales—will also be present, nearly 30 years after Cuban Air Force MiG fighters destroyed the unarmed Cessna planes over international waters in the Florida Straits.
Before the charges could be formally disclosed, they had to receive approval from a grand jury, according to information from U.S. government officials.
David Alandete, the ABC correspondent at the White House, reported on X: "A source within the Justice Department in Washington confirms to me that criminal charges against Raúl Castro for the murder of exiles in a rescue operation are expected to be announced in Miami on Wednesday."
This case revival aligns with the Trump administration's maximum pressure policy against the Cuban regime. Back in March 2026, the Florida Attorney General reopened the criminal investigation into the incident, with Cuban-American lawmakers such as Mario Díaz-Balart, María Elvira Salazar, Carlos Giménez, Rick Scott, and Nicole Malliotakis pushing the federal government to file charges.
Governor Ron DeSantis described the intended indictment as "long overdue" in a statement made on May 15.
However, the indictment is largely symbolic and political in nature: Raúl Castro has never set foot on U.S. soil, and there is no extradition treaty between Cuba and the United States, making his actual prosecution nearly impossible.
José Basulto, founder of Brothers to the Rescue and a survivor of the attack, expressed to NBC6 that he has long awaited this moment of accountability: "I have wished for this for a long time. I have wished for justice to be served, for justice to become a reality."
Key Insights into the Indictment of Raúl Castro
What are the charges against Raúl Castro?
Raúl Castro is facing federal criminal charges for his alleged involvement in the 1996 downing of two Brothers to the Rescue planes, which resulted in the deaths of four Cuban Americans.
Where will the announcement of the indictment take place?
The announcement is scheduled to occur at the Freedom Tower in Miami, Florida.
Why is the indictment considered symbolic?
The indictment is largely symbolic due to the absence of an extradition treaty between Cuba and the United States, and the fact that Raúl Castro has never visited the U.S.