# Legal proceedings against Raúl Castro > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/legal-proceedings-against-ral-castro > Updated: 2026-10-21T05:06:06.000Z. Sources: 189. Developments: 3. A Florida judge has issued a state arrest warrant for 95-year-old former Cuban leader Raúl Castro, charging him with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. The warrant, signed by Miami-Dade Circuit Chief Judge Ariana Fajardo Orshan, is linked to the February 24, 1996, shootdown of two unarmed civilian aircraft operated by the Miami-based humanitarian group ‘Brothers to the Rescue’. The incident resulted in the deaths of four individuals: Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has noted that investigators allege Cuban intelligence agents facilitated the attack by MiG fighter jets by infiltrating the organization to transmit flight information to Havana. While Cuba has historically claimed the aircraft violated its airspace, the International Civil Aviation Organization concluded the planes were in international waters during the incident. This state-level warrant follows a federal indictment filed against Castro and five other former Cuban military officials in May 2026. The Cuban government has condemned the warrant, with President Miguel Díaz-Canel describing it as a “pathetic Miami circus” and a political maneuver. International reactions have been sharply critical: China has criticized the use of judicial measures to pressure Cuba, and Russia has issued a categorical rejection. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs argued that legal assessments regarding the 1996 events were addressed by UN Security Council Resolution 1067, characterizing the accusation as an “unfounded attempt at revenge by the anti-Cuban lobby in Miami” and warning that rising tensions could destabilize the region. ## Claims - The charges stem from the February 24, 1996, shootdown of two civilian aircraft belonging to Brothers to the Rescue. (corroborated by 44 sources) - Four people died in the attack: Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales. (corroborated by 39 sources) - A state-level arrest warrant has been issued for former Cuban leader Raúl Castro in Florida. (corroborated by 35 sources) - The US federal government had previously indicted Raúl Castro in May. (corroborated by 32 sources) - Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier accused Raúl Castro of ordering the murder of four Florida residents. (corroborated by 30 sources) - The International Civil Aviation Organization concluded the planes were in international waters during the 1996 incident. (corroborated by 29 sources) - Cuban spies operating in Florida allegedly collected and transmitted flight data to facilitate the shootdown. (corroborated by 12 sources) - The warrant charges Raúl Castro with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. (corroborated by 11 sources) - China opposes the use of judicial measures to pressure Cuba. (corroborated by 9 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-10-21: Raúl Castro faces Florida arrest warrant over 1996 aircraft shoot-down Florida authorities have issued an arrest warrant for former Cuban leader Raúl Castro, charging him with conspiracy to commit murder regarding the 1996 shoot-down of two ‘Brothers to the Rescue’ aircraft. 19 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/florida-prosecutors-charge-ral-castro-with-murder-conspiracy ### 2026-10-19: Raúl Castro faces Florida arrest warrant over 1996 plane shootdown Florida authorities have issued a state arrest warrant for former Cuban leader Raúl Castro for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder regarding the 1996 shootdown of two Brothers to the Rescue aircraft. 176 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/florida-issues-arrest-warrant-for-ral-castro-over-1996-plane-shootdown ### 2026-10-18: Russia condemns U.S. arrest warrant for Raúl Castro Russia has condemned a U.S. arrest warrant issued against former Cuban leader Raúl Castro, calling the charges unfounded and warning of potential regional instability in Latin America. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/russia-condemns-us-arrest-warrant-for-ral-castro --- Cite as: Legal proceedings against Raúl Castro. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/legal-proceedings-against-ral-castro