U.S. Indicts Former Cuban Leader Raúl Castro Amid Escalating Sanctions

On May 20 2026 the Justice Department unsealed an indictment charging 94-year-old Cuban president Raúl Castro with murder and conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens. Prosecutors allege Castro ordered Cuban forces to shoot down two civilian aircraft of the exile group Brothers to the Rescue, killing U.S. nationals. Five Cuban military officials are named. The indictment cites a 1991 incident, while other reports place the shoot-down in 1996, creating a factual discrepancy.

US indicts Cuba’s Raúl Castro on 30-year-old murder charges

U.S. pressure on Cuba began with the 1960s embargo and intensified when President Donald Trump added Cuba to the state-sponsor-of-terrorism list in 2020, curtailing tourism and investment. An executive order then barred oil shipments from Venezuela and Mexico, prompting a naval blockade that halted fuel imports. The blockade has caused blackouts, fuel scarcity and medical shortages; about 96,000 patients await surgery.

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The Justice Department describes the alleged shoot-down as premeditated, and President Trump called the indictment “a very big moment” and said he would be willing to act against Cuba. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel warned that a U.S. strike would cause a “bloodbath.”

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UN officials urged lifting oil sanctions, while Washington Office on Latin America called the embargo “outdated” and harmful. Senator Marco Rubio countered that corruption, not the blockade, drives Cuba’s electricity crisis.

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The indictment references a 1991 downing, while other sources place the incident in 1996, leaving the exact date uncertain. U.S. officials attribute power outages to the blockade; Cuban officials blame government mismanagement. Independent verification of Cuba’s reported acquisition of more than 300 drones remains lacking.

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• “There was a warrant issued for his [Castro’s] arrest. So we expect that he will show up here, by his own will or another way.” — Todd Blanch, Acting Attorney General

US indicts Cuba’s Raúl Castro on 30-year-old murder charges

• “And, it looks like I’ll be the one that does it. So, I would be happy to do it.” — Donald Trump, President of the United States

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• “) “The reason you are forced to survive 22 hours a day without electricity is not due to an oil ‘blockade’ by the US,” Rubio said in a Spanish-language video message to the Cuban people Wednesday, but because Cuba’s ruling officials “have plundered billions of dollars” from the nation.” — Marco Rubio, U.S. Senator

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• “We have absolutely no fuel [oil] and absolutely no diesel,” — Vicente de la O Levy, Cuban Energy Minister

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Since February the United States has flown 25 intelligence-gathering missions over Cuba and increased naval presence. Cuban officials report a drone fleet of more than 300 units and discuss strikes on the Guantánamo Bay base. The indictment may trigger further legal actions or, as President Trump has suggested, a military option. International actors await diplomatic talks that could address the humanitarian crisis and shape the next phase of U.S.–Cuba relations.

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