US seeks indictment of former Cuban leader Raul Castro

The potential charges relate to Cuba’s 1996 downing of humanitarian planes, US media outlets report.

The United States is planning to indict former Cuban President Raul Castro as Washington raises the pressure on the island’s communist government.

Several US media outlets reported on Thursday that the potential charges against the 94-year-old brother of Fidel Castro relate to a 1996 incident in which Cuba shot down planes flown by the anti-Castro humanitarian group Brothers to the Rescue.

The move comes amid a US blockade that has halted virtually all fuel supplies to the island, with the Trump administration, after celebrating its overthrow of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, pushing for regime change.

Castro, who succeeded his brother as Cuban president, is still considered the most powerful person in the nation. Any indictment would need to be approved by a grand jury.

The reports surfaced hours after a US delegation led by CIA Director John Ratcliffe met Cuban officials in Havana, where he offered $100m in humanitarian assistance on the condition that the government agrees to “meaningful reforms”.

Escalation

Indicting Castro would mark a stunning escalation in the ongoing crisis in US-Cuba relations, which have deteriorated since US President Donald Trump took office for a second term in 2025.

Trump has repeatedly said he wants to topple Cuba’s communist-led government, warning that Cuba is “next” after the US military abduction of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

The president first cut the flow of funds and fuel from Venezuela to Cuba in January. He then threatened heavy tariffs against any country that provides Havana with oil, implementing a de facto fuel blockade on the island.

Since then, the nation of 11 million has been beset by severe fuel shortages and blackouts. Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy warned on Thursday that the country had completely run out of diesel and fuel oil.

At the same time, US officials have been exploring potential criminal charges against senior Cuban government officials, including those allegedly involved in the 1996 plane downing.

The efforts have been led by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, according to the Reuters news agency.