On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump declared there would be no escalation in tensions with Cuba following the indictment of former Cuban President Raúl Castro. The indictment relates to Castro's alleged involvement in the 1996 shootdown of two planes operated by the Miami-based exile group Brothers to the Rescue, during which he served as Cuba's defense minister. Trump characterized the current state of Cuba as chaotic, stating, 'the place is falling apart' and emphasized that the US is working to 'free up' the island nation. He labeled the indictment a 'very big day' for Cuban-Americans and those who have fled the country due to its political turmoil. In contrast, Cuba's President Miguel Díaz-Canel dismissed the indictment as a politically motivated act lacking legal justification. The US has intensified its pressure on Cuba, particularly after the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a close ally of Cuba. Trump has previously suggested that Cuba should negotiate with the US before it is too late, indicating that the island's reliance on Venezuela is diminishing. He also signed an executive order imposing tariffs on goods from countries supplying oil to Cuba, signaling a tougher stance against the communist regime.