Cuba's Deputy Foreign Minister, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, issued a stern warning on Wednesday, stating that any attempt by the United States to take action against Cuban officials will be met with "fierce resistance from the Cuban people." This statement comes in response to a criminal indictment by the U.S. Department of Justice against Raúl Castro and five Cuban military officials for the downing of two Brothers to the Rescue aircraft on February 24, 1996.
During an appearance on Mesa Redonda, the official Cuban television news program, Fernández de Cossío, alongside other experts and journalists, discussed what they labeled as the "judicial and political farce" the U.S. is allegedly staging against General Raúl Castro.
The deputy minister described the indictment as "fraudulent," lacking any legal, political, or moral foundation. He further criticized it as a "cowardly act" amid what he perceives as Washington's increasingly aggressive stance towards Cuba in 2026. He attributed this aggression to a "clique" of Cuban exiles wielding "disproportionate" influence over the Trump administration, citing the "corrupt nature of the U.S. political system."
Fernández de Cossío also expressed concerns about a potential ulterior motive behind the charges, implying that the U.S. might use such accusations as a pretext for military action against sovereign nations.
In defense of the 1996 incident, he argued that Cuba had warned the U.S. State Department and the Federal Aviation Administration 25 times about the aerial incursions by Brothers to the Rescue between 1994 and 1996. Additionally, on January 15 of that year, Cuba issued a public statement cautioning that unauthorized aircraft would be "intercepted and, if necessary, neutralized."
Fernández de Cossío claimed that U.S. authorities, including the State Department, National Security Council, and the White House, were aware of the flight in advance but chose not to intervene, suggesting a level of "complicity" in the events.
However, the International Civil Aviation Organization concluded in July 1996 that the downing took place nine to ten nautical miles outside Cuban territorial airspace, in international airspace, directly contradicting the sovereignty defense presented by the Cuban government.
The indictment, filed by a federal grand jury in Miami on April 23 and unsealed on May 20, includes charges of conspiracy to murder U.S. citizens, destruction of civilian aircraft, and four individual counts of homicide for the deaths of Armando Alejandre Jr., Carlos Costa, Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales.
Along with Raúl Castro, five other Cuban military officials were charged: Lorenzo Alberto Pérez-Pérez, Emilio José Palacio Blanco, José Fidel Gual Barzaga, Raúl Simanca Cárdenas, and Luis Raúl González-Pardo Rodríguez.
Other Cuban leaders have also dismissed the charges. President Miguel Díaz-Canel labeled them a "political action without any legal basis," while Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz defended Raúl Castro, accusing the U.S. of staging a farce.
The indictment comes amid rising bilateral tensions in May 2026: Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new sanctions on GAESA, the military conglomerate controlling a significant portion of Cuba's formal economy, on May 7; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before Congress on May 12 that Cuba poses a "national security threat"; and a classified intelligence report from Axios on May 17 indicated that Cuba had acquired over 300 military drones from Russia and Iran since 2023.
At 94, Raúl Castro has never set foot on U.S. soil, and no extradition treaty exists between the two countries, rendering the indictment largely symbolic and political in nature.
Understanding the U.S.-Cuba Tensions
What led to the U.S. indictment against Raúl Castro and Cuban officials?
The indictment was a result of a criminal case brought by the U.S. Department of Justice, accusing Raúl Castro and five Cuban military officials of involvement in the downing of two Brothers to the Rescue aircraft in 1996, leading to the deaths of four U.S. citizens.
How has the Cuban government responded to the U.S. accusations?
The Cuban government, through Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío and other leaders, has dismissed the accusations as fraudulent and politically motivated, warning of fierce resistance to any U.S. actions.
What are the implications of this indictment for U.S.-Cuba relations?
The indictment has further strained U.S.-Cuba relations, contributing to rising tensions and highlighting ongoing political and military disagreements between the two nations.