Miami (Florida, USA), 16 May (LaPresse/AP) – The US Department of Justice is preparing to seek the indictment of former Cuban President Raúl Castro, according to three people familiar with the matter who spoke to the Associated Press, whilst President Donald Trump is threatening possible military action against the island. One of the sources told the AP that the potential indictment relates to Castro’s alleged role in the 1996 shooting down of four aircraft operated by the Miami-based exile group ‘Brothers to the Rescue’. At the time, Castro was Minister of Defence. All three people spoke on condition of anonymity, as they were not authorised to discuss an ongoing investigation. The Cuban government has not responded to a request for comment on the possible indictment, which was previously reported by CBS. Any criminal charges against Castro, which would need to be approved by a grand jury, would drastically increase tensions with Havana and fuel expectations of US military action in Cuba similar to that carried out in Venezuela in January to bring President Nicolas Maduro to New York on drug trafficking charges. On Friday, Trump avoided commenting on a possible indictment, referring the matter to the Department of Justice. “But they need help, as you know; you talk about a country in decline: and indeed they are a nation or a country in decline, so we’ll see,” Trump told reporters on board Air Force One. “We have a lot to talk about regarding Cuba, but perhaps not today.”
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