Florida Issues Arrest Warrant for Raul Castro Over 1996 Aircraft Downing

A Florida court issued an arrest warrant on October 19, 2026, for 95-year-old Raul Castro, the former Cuban Revolutionary leader and defense minister, charging him with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. The warrant relates to the February 24, 1996, downing of two Cessna aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue, a Miami-based Cuban exile organization. The incident killed four people, three of whom were U.S. citizens. Judge Ariana Fajardo Orshan of Florida's 11th Circuit Court signed the warrant following charges filed in May 2026 against Castro and five other individuals, including the alleged pilots involved in the operation.

Prosecutors accused Castro of ordering the downing of the two civilian planes, which were conducting search-and-rescue operations for Cuban refugees over international waters. The indictment includes four counts of murder, two counts of destroying an aircraft, and conspiracy to murder U.S. citizens. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier stated the warrant will restrict Castro's ability to leave Cuba and prevent travel to any country with an extradition agreement with the United States. Uthmeier acknowledged that Castro, now 95 years old, is unlikely to voluntarily travel to Florida to face trial.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel rejected the charges as politically motivated, calling them a "pathetic, election-driven circus" with no legal foundation. Diaz-Canel argued that the 1996 military action constituted lawful self-defense following repeated violations of Cuban airspace, and characterized the warrant as part of a broader U.S. agenda to justify economic sanctions and potential military action against Cuba. He stated the charges reveal "the arrogance and frustration" of U.S. officials regarding the Cuban Revolution.

Raul Castro served as Cuba's Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces at the time of the 1996 incident. He later became Cuba's head of state following his older brother Fidel Castro's illness, serving until his retirement in 2018. The case was reopened by Florida prosecutors in 2026 after remaining dormant for decades. The U.S. has escalated measures against Cuba throughout 2026, including new sanctions on state-owned entities and officials, and restrictions on countries supplying oil to the island.