Update 1:30 p.m.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Court records reveal that former Cuban President Raul Castro has been charged with murder in the United States, marking a significant escalation in Washington’s efforts to apply pressure on the island’s communist regime.
“This moment belongs to four families.
It belongs to the families of Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales—the four men murdered on February 24, 1996, when the Cuban regime ordered the shootdown of unarmed Brothers to the Rescue humanitarian aircraft over international waters. Their bodies were never recovered. Their families have never had justice. Now, at long last, they can.
This was not an accident. It was not a misunderstanding. It was an act of state terrorism carried out by the Cuban Air Force against civilians whose only mission was humanitarian rescue.
The indictment of Raúl Castro is the right thing to do—and it is long overdue.
For decades, the families of these men and the Cuban exile community never stopped demanding accountability. They marched, they testified, they held vigils, they kept this memory alive when too many in positions of power were willing to let it fade. They were right to do so.
This is what accountability looks like. This is what the rule of law, applied without fear or political favor, is supposed to look like. And if it took too long to get here, that is a failing we should all reckon with honestly—not a reason to withhold recognition now that justice is finally being pursued.
Florida is home to a community that knows this history not as a headline, but as lived memory. This is not abstract. This is part of our state’s story.
As a candidate for governor of Florida, I want every Cuban American family—and every Floridian—to know: I see this history. I honor the sacrifice of these four men. And as governor, I will ensure that Florida never stops standing on the side of those who demand accountability for the crimes of the Cuban regime.
Justice delayed is still justice.
Today is a good day.”
— Former Congressman David Jolly
Former Cuban President Raul Castro Faces Criminal Charges in U.S.
New questions are arising about whether former Cuban leader Raúl Castro could face new legal pressure from the United States.
These questions include possible charges connected to the deadly 1996 shootdown of two humanitarian planes, an event that killed three American pilots. A University of Central Florida Cuba historian discussed the potential local meaning of these developments for Central Florida.
For many Cuban Americans in Central Florida, the name Castro continues to bring up decades of history, pain, and political division. The growing discussion about potential U.S. action against Raúl Castro holds significant implications for the local community.
Luis Martinez Fernandez, a UCF Pegasus Professor of History, noted that the name Raúl Castro evokes strong emotions for Cuban families in Central Florida. Martinez Fernandez, who was born in Havana, explained that many Cubans who fled the island see Raúl Castro as a dictator, someone who was very cruel at times in his life.
Martinez Fernandez emphasized that events in Cuba have ramifications in Central Florida due to the close proximity. He stated that the two locations are separated by the proverbial 90 miles, and whatever happens in Cuba has consequences in the region.
The historian highlighted a scenario where a massive exodus of Cubans, possibly due to disturbances or war on the island, would likely lead them to Florida. He referenced the Mariel boatlift of 1980 as a past example of such an event.
The potential charges against Raúl Castro are linked to murder allegations from the 1996 shootdown of two planes belonging to the humanitarian group “Brothers to the Rescue.” This group was known for assisting Cuban migrants at sea.
Martinez Fernandez noted that nobody has paid for that crime, and indicting Raúl Castro on May 20, Cuban Independence Day, is significant. He believes many Cuban Americans in Central Florida will watch whether this pressure leads to more action.
He indicated that once Iran is no longer a priority for the current administration, more aggression towards Cuba could be expected, initially non-military but potentially becoming military.
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