The US Department of Justice charges former Cuban leader Raúl Castro, Trump administration increases pressure on Cuba

May 21 — The U.S. Department of Justice has formally indicted former Cuban leader Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz, charging him in connection with the 1996 incident where Cuban fighter jets shot down two humanitarian aid planes, killing four U.S. nationals, three of whom were American citizens. Raúl Castro, the brother of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, served as Chairman of Cuba’s State Council from 2008 to 2018. This legal move is the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s "maximum pressure" campaign against the Cuban regime. Previously, the administration imposed sanctions on Cuba’s military and intelligence sectors and repeatedly urged Cuban leaders to end what it calls oppression of the Cuban people and negotiate an agreement with the United States. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel fired back on social media, claiming the U.S. charges expose the arrogance and frustration of an imperialist power facing the unwavering resolve of the Cuban Revolution and the unity and moral strength of its leadership. He labeled the action a politically motivated move with no legal basis. Notably, outgoing President Biden delisted Cuba as a "State Sponsor of Terrorism" and scrapped Trump-era Cuba policy memos before leaving office. But on his January 2025 inauguration day, Trump reinstated Cuba’s "state sponsor of terrorism" designation and rolled out stricter National Security Presidential Memoranda. Most recently, the Trump administration sanctioned entities including GAESA, a group controlled by Cuba’s military, accusing it of enriching itself through corruption rather than benefiting the Cuban public. The White House statement also hinted at the potential for military action against the Cuban regime, emphasizing President Trump’s determination to counter foreign national security threats. It cited past successful military operations: capturing Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and eliminating Iran’s nuclear weapons capability.