U.S. Indicts Former Cuban President Castro...Trump Says "We Are Liberating Cuba"

Drawing a Line Against Military Escalation

Cuban President: "Completely Fabricated with No Legal Basis"

Associated Press Yonhap News Agency

The U.S. government's indictment of former Cuban President Raul Castro, aged 94, has significantly heightened military tensions across Latin America. Even after stepping down, Castro has been known as the de facto leader who continues to govern Cuba. Since the operation to arrest Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January, concerns have been growing that U.S. military operations in Latin America may resume.

On the 20th (local time), the U.S. Department of Justice indicted former President Castro as the main perpetrator responsible for the 1996 incident in which two aircraft operated by the Miami-based Cuban exile group "Brothers to the Rescue" were shot down by the Cuban military, resulting in the deaths of four people. At the time of the incident, Castro was serving as Cuba’s Minister of Defense. The Department of Justice stated that the charges could carry a maximum sentence of either the death penalty or life imprisonment.

Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche, at a press briefing held in Miami, was asked by reporters whether Castro might appear in a U.S. court. He responded, "We expect Castro to appear before the U.S. court, whether voluntarily or by another way."

U.S. President Donald Trump also commented on the indictment during a press conference at the White House, stating, "We are liberating Cuba." However, regarding the possibility of further military escalation, he drew a line, saying, "There will be no escalation, nor do we feel a need for it," and added, "Cuba is collapsing right now. It is, frankly, in a complete mess."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who comes from a Cuban immigrant family, also issued a statement in Spanish on the same day. Secretary Rubio emphasized, "The corrupt regime in Cuba is exploiting its people," and stressed that "there must be a change of power through free elections."

The Cuban government is strongly protesting. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, through the social media platform X on this day, sharply criticized the U.S. indictment, calling it "a political act with no legal basis," and added, "It is nothing more than an attempt by the U.S. government to bolster its justification for reckless military aggression against Cuba."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.