Russia has condemned an arrest warrant issued by Florida authorities for former Cuban president Raúl Castro, describing the allegations against the 95-year-old as politically motivated and warning against escalating tensions with Havana.
The warrant, announced on October 19 by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, charges Castro with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in connection with the February 24, 1996, shooting down of two civilian aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue, a Miami-based organisation that assisted Cubans attempting to flee the island.
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Four people were killed when Cuban military aircraft intercepted and destroyed two of the planes over international waters. Castro was serving as Cuba’s defence minister at the time of the incident.
Uthmeier said the state would continue pursuing accountability for the deaths, maintaining that Castro had a role in the events that led to the fatal encounter.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry rejected the warrant, reaffirming Moscow’s longstanding support for Cuba and criticising the decision to pursue state charges more than three decades after the incident.
“Bringing a baseless and contrived accusation more than 30 years after the events can only be seen as an act of vengeance by the anti-Cuban lobby in Miami,” the ministry said in a statement.
Moscow also argued that the case risked increasing tensions around Cuba, which has faced mounting economic and political pressure from the United States.
The Florida warrant follows federal charges brought against Castro in May over the same incident. US authorities have alleged that he was involved in the decision-making that led to the aircraft being shot down. The allegations have not been established through a trial in the current proceedings.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has also rejected the US federal indictment, arguing that it lacks a legal basis and could be used to justify further aggression against the island.
The dispute comes amid a broader deterioration in relations between Washington and Havana under US President Donald Trump, whose administration has intensified pressure on Cuba’s government through economic and political measures.
Cuba and Russia have maintained close ties dating back to the Soviet era. Moscow has continued to support the Cuban government as the island grapples with fuel shortages, electricity blackouts and wider economic difficulties.
The 1996 aircraft shoot-down remains a longstanding point of contention between the United States and Cuba, particularly among Cuban-American communities in Florida, where relatives of the victims and political leaders have continued to demand accountability.
The latest warrant adds another legal and diplomatic dimension to the dispute, although enforcement against Castro would depend on the legal process and circumstances surrounding his potential custody.
Russia’s response underscores the international implications of the case, as Washington and Havana remain at odds over responsibility for the 1996 deaths and the future of their bilateral relationship.
