The United States has indicted Raúl Castro, the former president of Cuba, on serious charges including murder and conspiracy to kill US nationals. These charges relate to the 1996 downing of two planes operated by the Miami-based group Brothers to the Rescue, which resulted in the deaths of four men, three of whom were US citizens. The indictment has reignited tensions between the US and Cuba, with current Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel denouncing it as a politically motivated act lacking legal justification.

The incident occurred when three Brothers to the Rescue planes entered Cuban airspace, leading to their shootdown by Cuban fighter jets. At the time, Castro was the defense minister and a key figure in the Cuban government. The US has previously charged two pilots involved in the incident, but they remain in Cuba, evading US prosecution.

The timing of the indictment aligns with the Trump administration's broader strategy to increase pressure on the Cuban regime, as experts suggest it aims to reshape US influence in the region. This move comes amid an energy crisis in Cuba, raising questions about the implications for US-Cuba relations and the potential for military action.