Sir, – The Trump administration’s indictment of former Cuban president Raúl Castro is an obvious ruse to support a US intervention in the island designed to overthrow the government (‘The Irish Times view on Cuba: in Trump’s sights,’ Editorial, May 24th). The basis of the indictment – the 1996 downing of two US-based aircraft by the Cuban air force – followed previous violations of Cuban sovereignty and warnings that action would be taken if the provocative flyovers continued. The indictment comes just four months after Trump imposed an oil embargo on Cuba and threatened tariffs on any country that supplied oil to the island. Cuba was already under an oppressive US blockade imposed by Washington since 1962, which the Cuban government estimates has cost its economy $170.7 billion over 63 years up to 2025. In October 2025, the United Nations General Assembly voted for the 33rd successive year for a resolution calling for the blockade to be lifted. The resolution was supported by 165 of the 193 UN member states with only seven countries voting against. The UN has condemned the US oil embargo, calling it “energy starvation” that has crippled “the functioning of essential services required for a dignified life”. Cuba does not pose any threat to US security and is being punished for pursuing a socialist path to development, which Washington will not tolerate in its own hemisphere. The US wants to return Cuba to its pre-revolutionary status as an appendage of American power governed by proxies. Countries across the Global North and South need to resist this violation of Cuban sovereignty and stand in solidarity with the Cuban people. – Yours, etc,Stephen McCloskey,Director,Centre for Global Education,Belfast.