Former Cuban dictator Raul Castro is facing an arrest warrant in Florida for his alleged involvement in the 1996 deaths of four individuals in shot-down planes that were looking for people trying to escape Cuba.
A judge approved the warrant on Friday, according to the Miami Herald.
“It was not an accident what happened. It was murder,” Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said at a news conference on Monday, alleging that the Cuban leader worked with “spies” in the Sunshine State who “reported to the Castro regime.”
AG James Uthmeier Announces Florida Arrest Warrant for Raúl Castro for Conspiracy to Commit First-Degree Murder https://t.co/xFP8AbocJf
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) October 19, 2026
“Raul Castro called for the planes to be shot down. He called for murder,” he added.
Castro is facing charges for “conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.”
Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said that “the suffering from the Castro regime is deeply personal” for many families in the area.
“You should never have had to have waited this long,” she said to the victims' families.
🚨#SOSCuba As the only Cuban-born Member of Congress, our community has been waiting for this day for decades! Raúl Castro is a war criminal & must be held accountable for his countless crimes against humanity and role in the murder of innocent Americans. https://t.co/9BH3ycapRx
— Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez (@RepCarlos) October 19, 2026
The 95-year-old is already facing an indictment from the Department of Justice for his alleged role in the “Brothers to the Rescue” case.
“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,” Attorney General Todd Blanche stated in May.
“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,” he added.