U.S. Justice Department Confirms Charges Against Former Cuban Leader Raul Castro

• 20.05.2026, 22:01

Details.

Former Cuban leader Raul Castro and others have been charged with conspiracy to murder Americans. This was announced by acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanch.

"Castro and others are also charged with other crimes, including destroying an aircraft, as well as four separate murder charges," Blanch said at a press conference.

Today Reuters, citing court filings, wrote about the charges against Castro. According to the agency, the 94-year-old former Cuban leader is charged with two episodes of destroying an aircraft. The New York Times wrote that senior U.S. officials are allowing the former Cuban leader to be captured in a Venezuelan scenario. U.S. forces struck Venezuela in January, captured dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife, and then flew them out of the country.

The allegations stem from a 1996 incident in which Cuban fighter jets shot down two planes of Brothers to the Rescue, a humanitarian organization. The organization was founded by Cuban immigrants in 1991 in the United States. Four people on board died. The Cuban government justified the decision by violating its airspace. Brothers to the Rescue ceased to exist after the incident.

Remember, in June 2025, Alexander Lukashenko spoke about the desire to meet with Raul Castro and visit Fidel's grave together. The dictator considers him one of the "strong men" along with Saddam Hussein in Iraq and Muammar Gaddafi in Libya.

Last time Lukashenko met with Raul Castro was in 2015 on the platform of the UN headquarters in New York. Raul Castro visited Belarus in 1976.