Donald Trump played down fears of escalating tensions with Cuba after the US Justice Department charged former Cuban President Raul Castro with shooting down a civilian airliner in 1996, insisting that “there will be no escalation” between the two countries.Asked whether the indictment could lead to further confrontation, Trump replied: “No. There will be no escalation. I don’t think there should be an escalation. Look, the place is falling apart. It’s chaos, and they’ve kind of lost control.”The comments came after federal court records showed that Castro, 94, is charged in the United States with murder and crimes related to the downing of two civilian planes operated by the exiled Cuban Brotherhood of the Rescue group for nearly three decades.The indictment was filed in Miami federal court on April 23 and was unsealed this week. Castro is charged with one count of conspiracy to kill American citizens, four counts of murder, and two counts of destroying aircraft. Five other individuals were also named as defendants.Acting US Attorney Todd Blanche announced the charges at a ceremony in Miami, where officials gathered to honor the victims of the 1996 accident.
He said: “My message today is clear: The United States and President Trump do not and will not forget their citizens,” which was met with applause from the Cuban-American attendees.The case centers on the downing of two small planes on February 24, 1996, when Cuban MiG fighter jets intercepted and destroyed a plane carrying Brothers to the Rescue, a Miami-based exile organization that flew missions over the Caribbean Sea to locate Cuban immigrants dangerously trying to cross the border.All four people on board were killed. The victims are Armando Alejandre, Carlos Alberto Costa, Mario Manuel de la Peña and Pablo Morales.The Cuban government has long maintained that the plane entered its airspace illegally, while US investigations and international aviation findings concluded that the planes were in international airspace when they were destroyed.Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro previously said the military acted under “standing orders” to intercept the planes, but insisted no direct order came from Raul Castro, who was defense minister at the time.Raul Castro was born in 1931 and played a central role in Cuba’s communist revolution alongside his brother Fidel, helping to consolidate power after the overthrow of President Fulgencio Batista in 1959. He served as defense minister for decades, then became president in 2008 before stepping down in 2018. He officially left the leadership of the Communist Party in 2021 but is still seen as an influential figure in Cuban politics.The indictment comes amid escalating US pressure on Havana under the Trump administration, which has combined sanctions with diplomatic pressure that has labeled Cuba a “rogue state.”Trump also formulated US policy toward Cuba to expand influence in the Western Hemisphere, saying: “From the shores of Havana to the banks of the Panama Canal, we will expel the forces of chaos, crime, and foreign encroachment.”Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel rejected the US accusations, warning earlier that any military action would lead to a “bloodbath.”Tensions have been exacerbated by Cuba’s deepening economic crisis, as fuel shortages, power outages and food shortages have contributed to unrest on the island. Washington has tightened sanctions on countries that supply Cuba with fuel, deepening economic pressures.
