Will the U.S. File Indictment Against Cuba’s Former President Raúl Castro?

(SeaPRwire) –   The Trump administration is anticipated to announce official charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro on Wednesday, representing a clear escalation of pressure on the island’s government.

Reports indicate that Castro’s federal indictment will be disclosed during a memorial service at the Freedom Tower in downtown Miami, timed to coincide with Cuba’s Independence Day. Anonymous sources close to the probe told NBC News that a grand jury approved the indictment after reviewing evidence.

Expected attendees at the ceremony include Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Deputy Director Christopher Raia, Florida Senator Ashley Moody (R), and other dignitaries.

The indictment strategy, initially reported by CBS News last week, comes as U.S. President Donald Trump considers potential military options in Cuba. Trump has frequently linked Cuba to Venezuela and Iran, two nations where the U.S. military has intervened this year.

Charging the 94-year-old Raúl Castro, brother of the late revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, follows the recent forced extradition of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by the U.S. on charges of narco-terrorism and cocaine importation conspiracy.

The prospective indictment of Castro seems to align with a broader campaign by the Trump administration to pressure Cuba into submitting to U.S. demands. Trump has placed tariffs on nations exporting oil to Cuba, worsening a chronic energy crisis that has triggered widespread blackouts and food shortages. Furthermore, his administration has enacted new sanctions against Cuban officials and organizations, and Trump has even suggested a “friendly takeover” of the island, which he claimed he would be “honored” to lead.

“It’s a country that really needs help,” Trump remarked regarding Cuba on Tuesday.

Havana has consistently resisted Washington’s pressure tactics. On Monday, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel condemned the U.S. government on social media, stating: “We will continue to denounce, in the firmest and most energetic way possible, the genocidal siege that seeks to strangle our people.”

Who is Raúl Castro?

Alongside his older brother Fidel, Raúl Castro helped overthrow the U.S.-supported government in Cuba, steering the nation toward a communist revolution. Starting in 1959, Castro spent nearly five decades as the Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, consolidating his control over the military and the nation while building a loyal following known as Raulistas.

During his time as minister, Castro helped repel the 1961 U.S.-backed invasion attempt at the Bahía de Cochinos (Bay of Pigs) on the southern coast of Cuba.

Castro became acting president in 2006 when Fidel became ill, officially assuming the presidency in 2008. He served until 2018, when he was succeeded by Díaz-Canel. Although he stepped down as head of the Communist Party of Cuba in 2021, he remains a highly influential figure in the country’s politics.

What is the indictment supposed to be about?

While the precise charges have not been disclosed, a Miami Herald report from May 15 indicates that the indictment of Castro will stem from the 1996 shootdown of two planes operated by Brothers to the Rescue, a Miami-based humanitarian organization. At the time, Castro was serving as defense minister. The group, established by Cuban exiles, primarily patrolled the waters between Florida and Cuba to locate refugees.

On February 24, 1996, three aircraft carrying members of the group entered airspace near the 24th parallel. Cuban military forces shot down two of the three planes, resulting in the deaths of four men, while the third plane, carrying the organization’s leader, managed to escape.

Cuban officials have defended the action. Speaking to TIME in 1996, Fidel Castro stated that the decision to shoot down the aircraft was made after the group repeatedly dropped anti-government leaflets over Havana urging his overthrow. “We instructed the armed forces that we would not tolerate it again,” Fidel Castro said.

In 2001, Gerardo Hernández, the leader of a Cuban espionage ring, was convicted in the U.S. of conspiracy to commit murder related to the downing of the planes and received a life sentence. However, in 2014, Hernández was sent back to Cuba in a prisoner exchange under President Barack Obama. A Cuban air force general and two pilots were also indicted for murder but were never brought to trial.

The incident drew immediate condemnation and swift action from then-U.S. President Bill Clinton, who signed the LIBERTAD Act, codifying the economic embargo against Cuba into law.

In a February 2026 letter to the President, a group of lawmakers, including Representative Mario Díaz-Balart (R, Fla.), urged the Department of Justice to pursue an indictment against Raúl Castro for the shootdown.

The next month, Florida’s Attorney General announced the reopening of a state-level investigation into the 1996 event.

The ceremony scheduled for Wednesday is dedicated to honoring the four victims of the 1996 incident.