Former Cuban president Raúl Castro has been charged with murder and other crimes by the United States, for his alleged role in shooting down two civilian aircraft operated by Cuban exiles in February 1996, off the coast of the Caribbean island.
The allegations come as part of escalating pressure by the Trump administration on Cuba’s socialist government to open its economy to American investment.
Castro, now 94, was Cuba’s defence minister at the time the small planes were shot down.
What are the charges as contained in the indictment?
The planes were operated by Brothers to the Rescue, a group based in the US city of Miami which had been dropping leaflets over Cuba’s capital Havana, urging Cubans to rise up against their government.
