The US Department of Justice has indicted former Cuban President Raúl Castro. The charges, which were released on Wednesday, accuse the brother of Fidel Castro of involvement in a conspiracy to kill American citizens, destroy an aircraft, and commit murder. Specifically, the charges relate to the shooting down of two civilian aircraft in 1996. According to the US administration, Castro, who served as the Minister of Defense at the time, allegedly ordered the attack.
The US government’s action draws parallels to the indictment of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January. Following that indictment, Maduro was allegedly kidnapped by US forces in a military operation that same month. Adding to the unstable geopolitical climate, Donald Trump had previously stated that Cuba could undergo what he called a “friendly takeover” or alternatively, that such a takeover might not be friendly at all.
