This afternoon, federal and state officials from Florida unsealed an indictment against Raul Castro which was returned in federal court in Miami on April 23, and charges him with one count of conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, four counts of murder, and two counts of destruction of aircraft. Five other people are also named as defendants in the case.
U.S. Attorney Todd Blanche made the announcement in Florida to a packed audience of Cuban-Americans. Reuters: “The charges stemmed from a 1996 incident in which Cuban jets shot down planes operated by a group of Cuban exiles, U.S. acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said at an event in downtown Miami on Wednesday to honor victims of the incident. “My message today is clear: The United States and President Trump does not and will not forget its citizens,” Blanche said to applause in a packed auditorium of government officials and Cuban Americans in Miami.”
For those not familiar with the sensitivity of the issues in the South Florida area, it is difficult to imagine the impact of this announcement. There are hundreds of thousands of first- and second-generation Cubans who fled the brutality of the communist regime when Fidel Castro took power. This is a very close and personal issue for the Cuban people within Miami-Dade.
Everyone in/around Miami knows an immediate family member or close family friend who was victimized by the Castro regime. As noted by The Hill:
[…] In indicting Castro, the U.S. is laying a similar groundwork that led to the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was also indicted in a U.S. court before armed forces seized him from his compound.
It’s unclear what action may await Castro and Cuba, but CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with officials on the island last week to convey that the window for negotiations will not be open indefinitely. (source)
Dept of Justice – The U.S. Department of Justice today announced the unsealing of a superseding indictment charging Raul Modesto Castro Ruz, 94, of Holguin, Cuba; along with Lorenzo Alberto Perez‑Perez of Las Tunas, Cuba; Emilio José Palacio Blanco; José Fidel Gual Barzaga; Raul Simanca Cardenas; and Luis Raul Gonzalez‑Pardo Rodriguez, for their alleged roles in the Feb. 24, 1996 shoot‑down of two unarmed U.S. civilian aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue (BTTR), also known as Hermanos al Rescate, over international waters.
“Over three decades later, we are committed to holding those accountable for the murders of four brave Americans: Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “For the first time in nearly 70 years, senior leadership of the Cuban regime has been charged in the United States for alleged acts of violence resulting in the deaths of American citizens. President Trump and this Justice Department are committed to restoring a simple principle: if you kill Americans, we will pursue you. No matter who you are. No matter what title you hold.”
“Today’s superseding indictment of Raul Castro and five Castro regime co-defendants is a major step toward accountability in the 1996 murders of four Brothers to the Rescue members – including three U.S citizens – Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandro Jr, Mario de la Pena, and Pablo Morales,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “For 30 years these families have waited for answers – and this FBI never forgot. We will continue working with our Justice Department partners to bring to justice those who attacked our civilians.”
“For 30 years, the families of these men have waited. The Miami community has waited. Our country has waited. Today is a step toward accountability,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This passage of time does not erase murder. It does not diminish the value of these lives. And it does not weaken our commitment to the rule of law.”
BTTR was an organization based in Miami that conducted humanitarian flight operations across the Florida Straits to search for Cuban migrants in distress. As alleged, beginning in the early 1990s, Cuban intelligence agents infiltrated the organization and relayed detailed information about its flight operations back to the Cuban government. These reports were allegedly used by military leadership in planning the Feb. 24, 1996 operation.
The superseding indictment charges conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, two counts of destruction of aircraft, and four counts of murder.” (MORE)
The banquet of consequences is finally being served.
Unlimited seating.
It beyond time to free the people of Cuba.
Can people imagine how that island will flourish economically and it would be amazing to see.
When do we get around to helping Americans?
Who do you think was helping organize and run the fentanyl? And serving as a City of London choke point on the Gulf of America?
Take off the blinders. We are fighting a world wide enemy.
Seriously? Get back to work. You live in the greatest country in the world and you’re complaining that the government won’t help you catch your own damn fish?
I do work! I work all day and when I get home I write emails begging the Nobel prize commission to give a peace prize to Trump. Is it degrading and pathetic? Yes, but I do it anyway.
Huh???
Maybe you could explain in detail what YOU mean by “helping Americans”, and how this particular action is impeding that?
Nah…of course you can’t 🙂
“Maybe you could explain in detail what YOU mean by “helping Americans”
You’re reminding me of this quote:
“The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.”
-Ronald Reagan,
In detail? Would you like me to focus on the swamp not getting drained or Trump raising gas prices on Americans to benefit a foreign country?
In either case you can just read trumps truths from more than a year ago.
Do you understand what I mean now or do you need more of an explanation?
It was called the Big Beautiful Bill. I know it was all the way last year but try and pay attention. The tax and investment savings for Main Street are just now kicking in. Watch the GDP numbers accelerate. No tax on tips is huge in my hometown of Vegas.
In fact a nice lady making $50k serving drinks at a Strip casino just upgraded from a ghetto apartment to my condo due to the extra $400+ a month in take-home pay. Half her income is tips, now untaxed. Boy is she happy!
Does your friend know that the fbi has been abusing the fisa courts to control US foreign policy and Trump is either too weak or too stupid to do anything about it?
If not- you should let her know.
Dear whiner: The United States has been bled of our resources, economic and humanity, for 300 years. Being uneducated is no longer an excuse. All of what is happening across the globe is evidently beyond your comperehension. Since that is now obvious, quit posting inane, educate and be a use to society.
Did you say America has been bled for our resources for 300 years? Did you tell me to educate myself? Do you get why that’s funny?
Trump is shoring up the foundation, fixing rotted walls and a leaky roof. Trump is giving us a house with good bones to finish in a grand style. You can’t rehab a house with a leaky roof, bad foundation and rotted walls.
…”imagine how that island will flourish economically…” You mean like Puerto Rico?
The WaPo website has the Castro story further down the scroll than two Ebola stories . . .
When they tell you WHO they are, believe them.
(Arrest Tedros, Gates, Collins, Zhengli, and Daszcak already, pretty please?)
Russia and China aren’t coming to the aid of the Castro network, which was up to all sorts of no good throughout Central and South America, including forming Maduro’s Praetorian Guard (he lived, they died).
Sombuddy is singing, singing, singing.
Let’s discombobulate Raul?
Justin can visit his Uncle Raul in a Florida federal prison soon.
Maybe a DNA sample from Raul when captured and get a sample from Justine to confirm Fidel is his biological father and confirm what most know plus confirm what trash his mother was just like Osama’s mom.
Deplorable Infidel made a brilliant point on the thread pertaining to Secretary Rubio’s message to the Cuban people.
What if each one of these individual snippets of news about investigations and indictments, the Mexican cartels and the capture of Maduro, the Iran offensive and the negotiations/squabbles with the EU, NATO, Canada, Ukraine, etc are not separate pieces of news after all?
What if all of it-and more-was all joined together as part of One Big Beautiful Operation to destroy the “rules based international order” and to replace it with a new system designed to return sovereignty and wealth to the people?
Golden Age Indeed!
I personally believe your what if is actually not a what if at all and it’s all connected to the canary singing.
Do not forget strait of Malacca as well. All of there pieces are fitting together rather nicely. And while they are coming together, it is straining Europe financially and other countries as well. Don’t know how long DJT has had this planned, but it is a doozy.
KTPO – Keep the Pressure On!
KPTO- Keep President Trump in Office
The ghosts of Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders are preparing for one last visit.
I grew up down there, worked for cubanos, was there for mariel,,,all I can say is,,,,Cuba Libre!
I heard of a guy who snuck into Cuba in a Cessna and brought out a family.
Married one of them.
What does “no more wars” mean ???
What it ‘should’ mean is : no more Korean War type engagement, or Vietnam, or Iraq War or Afghanistan War.
Gulf War 1, under HW Bush was both necessary and extraordinarily efficient.
The previous military action in Venezuela was Spectacular, and the current engagement in Iran is necessary, while painful at the pump. The military component was also executed Spectacularly.
So if a similar action is brought forth against Cuba, when the timing is ideal, we should be all for eliminating this near 70 year old thorn from our keister.
It is the nature of this fallen world that to get to “no more wars” one has to knock a few heads together until the troublemakers get the message.
President Trump seems intent on using the time he has to clean up some of the festering wounds past administrations caused or really should have stopped when they first reared their heads.
The Cuban people do not even have gas for their cars.
I like what I see in Todd Blanche and I think President Trump could do far worse than choosing him as the next full-term AG!
3rd generation Floridian, born in Coral Gables grew up in south Miami.
.
For my Cuba Libre, heavy on the rum and lime with just a 3/4 shot-glass of cola.
5th generation Floridian, Family from Saint Augustine,Fl I take my Whiskey neat.
My former boss, (may he RIP) was from Cuba. His parents fled, and he grew up in Miami. I had known there was issues with his family and Castro. When Castro died, I asked him to explain what had happened. Essentially, my Boss’s father was a collaborator with the US during WWII and after. When Castro took over, there were wanted posters for his father hanging in public places and in the airport in Cuba. They had fled before Castro took over. In the 50’s, in Miami, they had loaded shotguns next to the front and back doors. There were communist groups operating in Miami at the time, so they were always prepared for possible home invasion. Also, there were some connections with CIA/FBI types when he was a kid.
There was also mafia connections – My Boss, as an adult living in New York City in the early 70’s. Starts up a conversation with the bartender and his name comes up. The bartender asks, are you so-in-so son? Yes, that was my father. The bartender goes on and says some glowing things about his father. Tells him, when you come this bar, you drink for free!
My old Boss had some wild stories. He lived a full life.
Wonder if this is set up for another Maduro-esque extraction. Castro government is worried and there is nothing they could do about it.
I am quite happy to have this evil Communist SOB that has wreaked so much havoc on his country and the world to be called to account for even a fraction of what he has done. But I am a little puzzled about the legal basis and precedent for indicting a foreign national for a “crime” related to an international incident. This would open up legal action against all national leaders for any nation against nation action. While that might sound like a good idea, it is a very slippery slope.
He killed Americans…
Happens all the time. If an American or American interest are involved the US will indict, arrest and jail said perpetrator/s. That includes an overseas (OCONUS) detainment, arrest and extradition of said perpetrator/s. Maduró was a military extraction but you get the point hopefully.
The threat of being convicted and sentenced to life in prison is probably not much of an incentive for a criminal like Raul to reform his ways now that he’s 94 years old. However, having his life come to an end while sitting in an American prison, as his long list of crimes winds its way through the American judicial system, might be the best we can do to help the Cuban people in their quest for justice. At this point it’s less about punishing the criminal and more about freeing the people.
Sundance is correct. I live in Miami, Florida and a caregiver to both my Cuban father(92yo) and mother(88yo). My parents love President Trump, and they insist watching all of his speeches, events anything involving Making America Great Again! This event was surreal and put tears in my mama’s eyes…Reading our family group chat texts during this event, it was a mix of excitement and melancholy. We lost my grandma, 2 uncles, 1 aunt and 2 cousins by firing squad after Che’s circus show trials during the revolution. My father was a tortured political prisoner for many years because he fought at the Bay of Pigs. We are so grateful the USA gave us another chance, allowing us to experience the American Dream! God Bless the USA!
I love this President! And I bet Marco waited his whole life to deliver the speech he just gave.
He best be careful or Marco might find himself on the ballot as a write-in candidate for the Cuban presidency.
How about a Nuremberg trial for the leaders of Iran responsible for the killing of tens of thousands of unarmed civilians?
Why is the UN and EU and Iranian neighbors not calling for this?