Justice Department Indicts Cuba's Raúl Castro for 1996 Shootdown That Killed 4 Americans
Raúl Castro, the former dictator of Cuba, has been indicted for his alleged involvement in the 1996 shootdown of two civilian aircraft that resulted in the deaths of four Americans. The indictment, which includes charges of conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals and murder, was announced by the Justice Department in Miami. This legal action comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Cuba, with the Trump administration increasing pressure on the Cuban regime.
- ▪Raúl Castro faces federal murder charges related to the 1996 shootdown of two civilian aircraft.
- ▪The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in South Florida and unsealed in Miami.
- ▪The attack killed three American citizens and one legal permanent resident.
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Foreign Policy Justice Department Indicts Cuba's Raúl Castro for 1996 Shootdown That Killed 4 Americans Nearly 30 years after Cuban fighter jets destroyed two civilian aircraft over international waters, the former Cuban dictator faces federal murder charges. César Báez | 5.20.2026 5:03 PM Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL Add Reason to Google Media Contact & Reprint Requests <img src="https://d2eehagpk5cl65.cloudfront.net/img/c800x450-w800-q80/uploads/2026/05/05.20.26-v1-4-800x450.jpg" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto" width="1200" height="675" title="Cuban President Raul Castro is seen in July, 2003." alt="Cuban President Raul Castro is seen in July, 2003.
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