Raúl Castro is expected to be indicted by U.S. on Wednesday, sources say

BREAKING NEWSMay. 19, 2026, 10:53 PM UTCU.S. newsU.S. newsRaúl Castro is expected to be indicted by U.S. on Wednesday, sources say The announcement is expected during a ceremony to mark the deadly 1996 shooting of two civilian planes that remains one of the most politically charged episodes in modern U.S.-Cuba relations. Add NBC News to GoogleU.S. seeks to indict Cuba’s Raul Castro01:52Get more newsLiveonShareAdd NBC News to GoogleBy Michael Kosnar, Kelly O'Donnell, Tim Stelloh and Nicole AcevedoA U.S. indictment of former Cuban president Raúl Castro is expected to be announced Wednesday in Miami, two federal sources familiar with the investigation told NBC News.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The event, to be held by the Justice Department and the FBI, will be at the Freedom Tower in downtown Miami, and the announcement is expected to come in conjunction with a ceremony to honor victims of the Brothers to the Rescue murders of 1996.Castro, 94, and his brother, Fidel Castro, were accused of ordering the Cuban Air Force to shoot down two civilian planes that belonged to the Brothers nonprofit, which carried out rescue missions to save Cubans fleeing their homeland. Two of the organization’s planes were shot down on Feb. 24, 1996, after departing from Florida. Four Cuban Americans were killed. The sources confirm that a grand jury returned an indictment after hearing evidence in the case, but they haven’t seen the paperwork and cannot describe the actual charges.Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche will headline the event along with FBI co-deputy Director Christopher Raia and the U.S. attorney from Miami along with Sen. Ashley Moody. The expected indictment comes as the Trump administration has been pressuring the Cuban regime to bow to U.S. demands, implementing drastic economic sanctions and threatening potential military action.President Donald Trump began fixing his sights on Cuba’s nearly se...