Kubas Ex-Staatschef: Haftbefehl gegen Raúl Castro im US-Bundesstaat Florida
Der frühere kubanische Präsident war Verteidigungsminister, als die kubanische Luftwaffe 1996 zwei Flugzeuge einer Exilorganisation abschoss. Floridas Generalstaatsanwalt erhebt nun eigene Vorwürfe.
A warrant has been issued in the US state of Florida for the arrest of Raúl Castro, the former head of state of Cuba. He is accused of shooting down two small planes belonging to an exile Cuban organization in 1996, using Cuban air force aircraft. Florida's Attorney General James Uthmeier stated that "this was not an accident, but murder" when announcing the federal indictment and warrant.
The attack on the "Hermanos al Rescate" (Brothers to Rescue) organization resulted in the deaths of four people, including three US citizens. In May, the US government had already charged the 95-year-old Castro. Uthmeier emphasized in a press conference that in Florida, they could present their own charges independently. The people of Miami had waited long enough for Castro to be held accountable.
The relationship between the US and Cuba has been tense for decades. According to Havana, the planes had entered Cuban airspace, while the International Civil Aviation Organization concluded that they were within international waters at the time of the shooting. The US and Cuba have had strained relations since the 1960s, with tensions further heightened under US President Donald Trump through sanctions and an oil embargo.
Raúl Castro served as Cuba's defense minister for 50 years and subsequently held the position of president from 2006 until 2018. Public appearances by Raúl Castro are rare nowadays.
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