Cubans Reject U.S. Charges Against Raul Castro
Washington accuses Castro of being responsible for the deaths of four crew members, three of them of U.S. origin, during the incident that occurred in Cuban airspace [carried out by members of “Brothers to the Rescue”—a group opposed to the Cuban Revolution—on February 24, 1996.] Cuban authorities described the charges as a political provocation lacking legitimacy and jurisdiction.
In response to this new attack against the Cuban Revolution, the Union of Young Communists, the University Student Federation, and the Jose Marti Pioneer Organization called on citizens to gather at the Jose Marti Anti-Imperialist Tribune.
Opened in 2000, the highly symbolic venue has become a regular site for political events through which the Cuban people reaffirm their indomitable character. On this occasion, the anti-imperialist gathering coincides with the 95th anniversary of Raul Castro’s birth.
“The alleged charges against Army General Raul Castro only demonstrate the arrogance and frustration felt by representatives of the empire in the face of the unwavering firmness of the Cuban Revolution and the unity and moral strength of its leadership,” Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said on social media.
On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez described the U.S. legal action as a fraudulent maneuver that forms part of a campaign intended to justify “heightened aggression” against the Cuban people.
“We condemn the farce of the U.S. government in presenting an illegitimate and illegal accusation against the Leader of the Cuban Revolution, Army General Raul Castro,” he said.
The Cuban diplomat pointed out that the charges are based on “the concealment of properly documented historical truths regarding the events that led to the downing, in Cuban airspace and in legitimate self-defense, of two aircraft belonging to the terrorist organization Brothers to the Rescue.”
“Cuba will not renounce its inalienable right to legitimate self-defense. We reaffirm our firm support for the Army general and our unwavering commitment to defending the homeland, the Revolution and socialism,” Rodriguez stressed.
—teleSur, May 21. 2026
https://www.telesurenglish.net/thousands-of-cubans-to-reject-u-s-charges-against-raul-