Criminal charges have officially been filed in the United States against former Cuban leader Raúl Castro. Reuters reported the development, citing an unnamed senior official in Donald Trump’s administration.
FBI Director Kash Patel said Raúl Castro has been charged with conspiracy to murder four people, including three U.S. citizens. The case relates to a 1996 incident in which four members of the organization Brothers to the Rescue flew from Florida on a humanitarian mission to assist people fleeing Cuba on rafts. Cuban fighter jets shot down two civilian aircraft operated by the group over international waters.
Donald Trump commented on the charges while answering reporters’ questions before departing from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. Asked whether escalation should be expected, the president replied, “With Cuba?” After the journalist confirmed, Trump said: “No. There won’t be escalation. I don’t think that’s necessary.”
Trump described the charges against Raúl Castro as “a very important moment.” “We are thinking about Cuba, it’s very important. This was a very important moment for people—not only for Cuban Americans, but also for those who came from Cuba and want to return there,” the U.S. president added.
Raúl Castro was one of the leaders of the 1959 Cuban Revolution. For decades, he held senior positions in Cuba and became the country’s de facto—and later official—leader in 2006 following the illness of his brother Fidel Castro. Raúl Castro stepped down from power in 2018.
Under Donald Trump, the United States has significantly increased pressure on the Cuban authorities and, since the beginning of 2026, has effectively imposed a fuel blockade on the island. The White House has openly stated that it seeks the removal of Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel from power.
As Reuters noted, the charges against Raúl Castro “mark a new low point in relations” between Cuba and the United States.