HAVANA — A US indictment against Cuban Revolution leader Raul Castro over the downing of two aircraft nearly 30 years ago has drawn strong criticism in Cuba, where officials see the move as politically motivated and part of Washington's broader pressure campaign against Havana.
The indictment came after months of heightened tensions between the two countries. Since the beginning of the year, the US administration has announced new measures against Cuba, including restrictions targeting countries that supply oil to the island and additional sanctions against Cuban entities and officials. Cuban authorities have also denounced recent US remarks hinting at possible military action as a dangerous escalation.
Against that backdrop, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said on Wednesday on X that the charges against Castro are a "political maneuver" with no legal basis.
He said the indictment reveals "the arrogance and frustration" of US officials in the face of the Cuban Revolution and is intended to "enlarge the file" Washington is building to justify possible military aggression against Cuba.
On Wednesday, a grand jury from the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida indicted Castro in connection with the downing of two planes operated by a US-based Cuban exile group named "Brothers to the Rescue" in 1996.
