The Justice Department is expected to announce criminal charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro for his alleged role in the 1996 downing of two civilian planes. - Federal prosecutors in Miami have prepared an indictment for murder and destruction of an aircraft.
- The charges stem from the shootdown of two unarmed Cessnas by Cuban MiG-29 fighter jets on February 24, 1996, killing all four aboard. - The announcement comes amid escalating U.S.
pressure on Cuba, including a blockade and threats of regime change. - Castro, now 94, is unlikely to be taken into U.S.
custody, but the indictment is seen as a tactical pressure point. The case highlights ongoing tensions between the U.S.
and Cuba, with the Trump administration seeking to hold Castro accountable for the decades-old incident.