Florida charges ex-Cuban leader Castro over 1996 plane shootdown

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 19 Oct, 17:57 · Archive

Florida has secured an arrest warrant charging former Cuban President Raúl Castro with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder over the 1996 Brothers to the Rescue shootdown.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has obtained a no-bond state arrest warrant for former Cuban President Raúl Castro, 95, charging him with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder stemming from the 1996 Brothers to the Rescue shootdown. The attack occurred on 24 February 1996 when three unarmed Cessna aircraft departed Opa-Locka Airport in Miami-Dade County. The four men killed were Carlos Costa, Pablo Morales, Mario de la Peña and Armando Alejandre Jr.

According to the warrant, Castro and his brother Fidel Castro, as final decision-makers, authorised the Cuban regime's foreign intelligence service to shoot down the aircraft and kill its occupants. At the time, Raúl Castro held the positions of Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and First Vice President of Cuba. The investigation found that Cuban Directorate of Intelligence agents operating as part of the Wasp Network in the Miami area and Florida Keys infiltrated Brothers to the Rescue and reported flight plans to authorities.

Castro already faces a separate federal prosecution over the incident following an indictment announced in May. Attorney General Uthmeier acknowledged that Castro is unlikely to voluntarily appear in court, but said the arrest warrant will restrict his ability to leave Cuba and prevent him from travelling to any place with an extradition agreement with the United States. Governor Ron DeSantis addressed the development at a press conference on Monday.

How it is being reported

• Florida brings more charges against former Cuba president Raul CastroFormer Cuban President Raúl Castro is facing more charges in Florida related to the 1996 downing of civilian planes flown by Miami-based exiles after the U.S. government indicted the former leader earlier this yearIndependent World · 19 Oct, 17:26
• Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier secures state arrest warrant for Raúl CastroA no-bond Florida arrest warrant charges Raúl Castro with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the 1996 Brothers to the Rescue shootdown.Fox News · 19 Oct, 05:15

In this story: Raúl Castro · Fidel Castro · James Uthmeier · Brothers to the Rescue · Florida · Cuba · Miami

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