DOJ Weighs Raul Castro Indictment Over 1996 Rescue Shootdown

Cuban officials have long defended the shootdown, arguing the aircraft violated Cuban airspace and posed a security threat

At the time of the incident, Fidel Castro was Cuba’s leader, while Raul Castro oversaw the armed forces.

Fidel Castro later said the military acted under his general orders to prevent incursions into Cuban territory.

One individual, Gerardo Hernandez, was convicted in the United States on conspiracy charges related to the shootdown after prosecutors alleged he helped pass intelligence to Cuban authorities

He was later released as part of a 2014 prisoner exchange and returned to Cuba.

The renewed legal scrutiny comes amid a broader administration crackdown targeting Cuba’s communist leadership.