With his trademark sarcastic tone, Sandro Castro, grandson of Fidel Castro, responded to the U.S. Department of Justice's formal charges against Raúl Castro regarding the 1996 shootdown of the Brothers to the Rescue planes, via a brief video shared on social media.
"Good morning, quick update. Does anyone know the shift change for the tribals now? This will ignite like Hatuey. The stone," said Sandro Castro in the clip.
The video came a day after the Justice Department filed federal criminal charges against Raúl Castro on May 20 at Miami's Freedom Tower, in an event led by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Approved by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida on April 23, the charges include seven counts: conspiracy to murder U.S. nationals, two counts of aircraft destruction, and four counts of murder for the deaths of Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales.
The Justice Department asserts that the attack was premeditated and sanctioned by the Cuban state, with Raúl Castro—then Minister of the Armed Forces—authorizing and overseeing the chain of command that ordered the downing of two civilian Cessna 337 planes over international waters in the Florida Straits.
Alongside the former dictator, five ex-Cuban military officers were also charged: Lorenzo Alberto Pérez-Pérez, Emilio José Palacio Blanco, José Fidel Gual Barzaga, Raúl Simanca Cárdenas, and Luis Raúl González-Pardo Rodríguez.
The maximum penalties include life imprisonment and even the death penalty for the most severe charges.
The case is seen largely as symbolic since Raúl Castro has never set foot on U.S. soil, and there is no extradition treaty between Cuba and the United States. Nonetheless, Marco Rubio has already commented on the potential arrest of the former dictator.
The regime's reaction was swift: Díaz-Canel escalated his rhetoric, and the official machinery turned workplaces into protest sites, while China defended Raúl Castro the day after the announcement.
Sandro Castro's reaction aligns with the public persona he has crafted in recent months.
In March, during an interview with CNN International, the grandson of Fidel Castro revealed that he was summoned by Cuban State Security due to his satirical videos, stating, "Most Cubans want capitalism, not communism."
In April, in an interview with NBC, Sandro Castro called for profound change in Cuba, advocating for "more economic freedom, less bureaucracy, and a bit more democracy."
The February 24, 1996, shootdown of the Brothers to the Rescue planes is one of the gravest incidents in Cuba-U.S. relations, and for 30 years, there were no criminal consequences for the Cuban perpetrators. The May 2026 charges mark the first formal attempt by U.S. justice to hold Raúl Castro criminally accountable for that crime.
Questions About U.S. Charges Against Raúl Castro
What charges has the U.S. filed against Raúl Castro?
The U.S. has filed seven charges against Raúl Castro, including conspiracy to murder U.S. nationals, destruction of aircraft, and murder related to the 1996 shootdown of Brothers to the Rescue planes.
Why is this case considered symbolic?
The case is seen as symbolic because Raúl Castro has never entered U.S. territory and there is no extradition treaty between Cuba and the United States, making his prosecution unlikely.
How has Sandro Castro reacted to the charges?
Sandro Castro responded with a sarcastic video on social media, reflecting the controversial public persona he has developed in recent months.