Mariela Castro, daughter of Cuban Army General Raúl Castro, publicly defended her father on Friday following formal charges brought by the U.S. Department of Justice. She assured that no one would succeed in kidnapping her father and that the family is "prepared for battle."
The statements were made at the end of an event held in Havana, attended by thousands in response to the formal indictment of Raúl Castro, which was announced on Wednesday by the Department of Justice in the Southern District of Florida.
"No one will kidnap him. I can assure you of that. Not him, nor anyone else," Mariela Castro confidently stated to RT microphones.
As a parliamentarian and director of the National Center for Sexual Education (CENESEX), she also conveyed her father's words: "No one will take me alive. They'll catch me fighting."
She described her father as currently being "very calm, watching and smiling," although Raúl Castro did not attend the event.
Furthermore, Mariela Castro emphasized that her family, "like all Cuban families, is waiting for orders on where we need to go, under any circumstance."
In a tone openly challenging Washington, she added, "We are ready here to fight against imperialism," and portrayed Cuba as "a small, poor country, but with combat experience against U.S.-led imperialism."
The event also saw participation from her brother, Alejandro Castro Espín—a high-ranking military officer involved in the talks that led to the restoration of diplomatic relations with the United States under the Obama administration—and the former president's grandson, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, known as "El Cangrejo," who has acted as a liaison in recent contacts with Washington.
The charges against Raúl Castro include conspiracy to murder American citizens, destruction of civilian aircraft, and four counts of homicide for the deaths of Armando Alejandre Jr., Carlos Costa, Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales, the four crew members of the Brothers to the Rescue planes shot down on February 24, 1996.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio labeled Raúl Castro a "fugitive" from U.S. justice. When questioned about a potential capture operation, he responded, "I won't discuss how we would bring him here," sparking comparisons with the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was brought before U.S. justice in January 2026.
Raúl Castro's Legal Challenges and Family Response
What charges has Raúl Castro been indicted with?
Raúl Castro faces charges of conspiracy to murder American citizens, destruction of civilian aircraft, and four counts of homicide related to the deaths of the Brothers to the Rescue crew members.
How has Mariela Castro responded to the charges against her father?
Mariela Castro has publicly defended her father, stating that no one will succeed in kidnapping him, and emphasized that the family is prepared to fight.