Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced Wednesday that the US Justice Department filed criminal charges against former Cuban President Raul Castro.
"We are announcing an indictment charging Raul Castro and several others with conspiracy to kill US nationals," Blanche said at a ceremony honoring four volunteers killed in 1996 when Cuban jets shot down two planes operated by a Miami-based exile group.
"Mr. Castro, and the others are charged with additional crimes as well, including destruction of aircraft and four individual counts of murder,” he said.
Court records show that the indictment against Castro, filed in federal court in Miami, accuses him of one count of conspiracy to kill US nationals, four counts of murder and two counts of destruction of aircraft.
The indictment includes lLorenzo Alberto Perez‑Perez, Emilio Jose Palacio Blanco, Jose Fidel Gual Barzaga, Raul Simanca Cardenas and Luis Raul Gonzalez‑Pardo Rodriguez.
"For nearly 30 years, families of four murdered Americans waited for justice,” said Blanche. “The United States and President Trump does not, and will not, forget its citizens."
Blanche said evidence in the indictment against Castro was presented to a grand jury in late April, but declined to elaborate on what led prosecutors to bring charges now.
'We expect that he will show up here by his own will or by another way'
Responding to questions about the timing of the indictment and evidence linking Castro to the deaths of the Americans, Blanche said he could not justify the delay between the incident and the recent charges.
“I cannot explain or justify why now, as opposed to two decades ago or 30 years ago when it happened,” he said.
Blanche said details of the evidence supporting the charges are outlined in the indictment, but declined to provide additional information.
“As far as what the evidence is, a lot of it’s in the indictment, and it would not be appropriate or fair to comment outside of the indictment about the evidence,” he said.
Blanche said he expects the defendants to appear in the US to face charges, either voluntarily or through other means.
“This is an indictment, because we expect that there was a warrant issued for his arrest,” he said. “We expect that he will show up here by his own will or by another way.”
Asked whether recent diplomatic activity, including a visit by the CIA director to Cuba, played any role in the timing of the announcement, Blanche declined to address the question.
“I’m not going to get into why we decided to unseal the indictment today,” he said, noting that decisions about sealing and unsealing indictments can involve multiple factors. “It wasn’t that long ago; It was late April, it’s mid-May.”
President Donald Trump said he appreciated what Blanche did Wednesday.
"We have Cuba on our mind, very important ... This is a very big moment not only Cuban Americans, but people who came from Cuba, that want to go back to Cuba, see their family in Cuba," Trump told reporters.
He said it is a "very big day, very important day."
'Despicable accusation' against Castro
The Cuban government, meanwhile, condemned the Justice Department's accusations against Castro.
"The Revolutionary Government condemns in the strongest terms the despicable accusation by the United States Department of Justice announced on May 20 and proclaimed for several weeks against Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, leader of the Cuban Revolution," it said in a statement.
It said the US lacks “legitimacy and jurisdiction” regarding the matter and accused Washington of distorting facts surrounding the incident, which it said occurred after repeated violations of Cuban airspace.
The statement said Cuba previously filed formal complaints with the US State Department, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), alleging more than 25 violations of Cuban airspace between 1994 and 1996.
Cuba maintained that its response to the incident constituted “an act of legitimate self-defense” under international law, citing the UN Charter and the 1944 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation.
The statement also accused the US of hypocrisy, referencing its military actions against vessels and alleged drug trafficking operations, which it said resulted in deaths in international waters. Cuba described those actions as “extrajudicial executions” and “murders” under international law and US law.
Havana argued that the indictment was part of a broader effort to justify “collective and ruthless punishment” against the Cuban population through sanctions and an “unjust and genocidal energy blockade,” as well as threats of military aggression.
“The Cuban people reaffirm their unwavering decision to defend the Homeland and its Socialist Revolution,” according to the statement, adding that Cuba expresses “unrestricted and unchanging support” for Castro.
