South Korean media: On the same day the U.S. indicted the "behind-the-scenes power broker" Castro, it deployed an aircraft carrier strike group near Cuba's coast

¬ Accused of murder during his tenure as Defense Minister in 1996, exerting pressure for regime change... Trump said: "We are liberating Cuba"

Raúl Castro (95 years old), the behind-the-scenes power figure in the Cuban regime, a founding figure of the communist revolution, and former Chairman of the State Council (equivalent to president), has been indicted by a U.S. court. The U.S. Department of Justice is holding Castro accountable for the downing of an aircraft belonging to a Cuban anti-regime organization within the United States 30 years ago, charging him with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and destruction of aircraft, and bringing him before a courtroom.

This indictment comes amid President Donald Trump’s declaration to oust the Cuban communist regime that came to power after overthrowing the pro-U.S. government in 1959. Raúl Castro, along with his brother Fidel Castro (1926–2016) and Argentine-born comrade Che Guevara (1928–1967), is regarded as a central figure in the Cuban communist revolution. In 2008, he succeeded Fidel Castro as Chairman of the State Council and ruled until 2018, when he transferred power to his successor (current president) Miguel Díaz-Canel.

After nearly 60 years of rule by the Castro brothers, Raúl has continued to wield substantial influence behind the scenes. Analysts believe that the U.S. indictment of Raúl, holding him responsible for events from 30 years ago, aims to underscore the necessity of a political transition in current Cuban leadership.

On the 20th day of the indictment against Castro, which coincided with Cuba’s Independence Day, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the indictment at the Freedom Tower in Miami, Florida—formerly a facility that housed Cuban refugees who fled to the U.S. Blanche stated: "We expect Castro to appear in a U.S. courtroom, whether voluntarily or through other means."

U.S. government officials have repeatedly issued statements targeting the Cuban regime. In a speech on Cuba’s Independence Day, Trump declared: "We cannot tolerate a rogue state with hostile foreign military forces, intelligence agencies, and terrorist organizations existing just 90 miles (about 145 kilometers) from our mainland. We are liberating Cuba." The White House simultaneously posted side-by-side photos of Castro alongside those of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on its social media accounts. Above their images, red text read “Arrested,” “Dead,” and “Indicted,” respectively, accompanied by the message: “America’s enemies have been eliminated.”

In a video message delivered in fluent Spanish aimed at the Cuban people, Cuban-American Secretary Marco Rubio said: "The U.S. is ready to open a new chapter in relations with Cuba. The only obstacle to the future lies with those who control your country." The remarks directly targeted the ruling party. This is interpreted as part of a strategy to categorize leaders like the Castros—the top echelon of the regime—as evil, akin to the deposed anti-American regime leaders, while portraying ordinary Cubans as innocent victims. Previously, the Trump administration had announced $100 million (approximately 1.5 trillion KRW) in humanitarian aid for Cubans, stating that assistance would be delivered directly through credible humanitarian organizations, bypassing the Cuban government.

The incident leading to Castro’s indictment occurred in February 1996. Cuban Air Force MiG fighters shot down two aircraft belonging to the Cuban exile group "Brothers to the Rescue," resulting in the deaths of four passengers. At the time, these individuals were reporting to the U.S. Coast Guard the locations of Cuban refugees at sea who had fled their homeland, assisting in rescue operations. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) concluded that the shooting occurred not within Cuban airspace but in international airspace, and that Raúl Castro was the then-leader of Cuba. If all charges are proven in court, Raúl Castro could face life imprisonment or even the death penalty.

However, given that Castro is virtually impossible to bring to trial or imprison, some analysts argue that the prosecution serves merely to intensify pressure on Cuba—“pouring oil on fire.” Recently, the U.S. has imposed intensified economic sanctions, disrupting fuel supplies to Cuba, which is now experiencing its worst economic crisis in history. Food and medicine have already run out.

On the same day, U.S. Southern Command announced via social media the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group—including the USS Nimitz and the USS Gridley destroyer—to the Caribbean Sea, releasing related videos. Cuba lies in the northern part of the Caribbean. Earlier, months before attempting to overthrow Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro regime in January, U.S. forces had already deployed weapons and troops to the Caribbean, suggesting that military tensions surrounding Cuba are poised to escalate further.

The U.S. severed diplomatic relations with Cuba after Castro took power. Later, in 2015, the Barack Obama administration removed Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism and restored diplomatic ties. However, upon taking office the following year, Donald Trump’s first-term administration maintained diplomatic relations with Cuba while reinstating most of the previous sanctions, leading to a sharp deterioration in bilateral relations.

Source: Chosun Ilbo

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1865856958003200/

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