U.S. Indicts Raúl Castro & 5 Others in Florida Grand Jury

Former Cuban leader Raúl Castro indicted by US grand jury in Florida

A U.S. grand jury in South Florida has indicted former Cuban leader Raúl Castro on federal criminal charges, according to court filings released Wednesday. The 94-year-old Castro, brother of the late Fidel Castro and one of Cuba’s most powerful figures, was charged with conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, four counts of murder, and two counts of destruction of aircraft.

The indictment is part of an escalation in pressure on the Cuban government by the Trump administration. The charges stem from the fatal downing of two civilian planes 30 years ago, killing four people. A fighter pilot was also charged in connection with the incident.

It’s unclear whether Castro will ever stand trial as Cuba does not extradite individuals to the U.S. Former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro was similarly indicted on drug charges but was captured by U.S. forces and flown to New York for trial earlier this year, leading to the installation of interim President Delcy Rodriguez.