America is about to file criminal charges against Raul Castro

A US Justice Department official said that the Trump administration intends to announce criminal charges against former Cuban President Raul Castro next Wednesday, in a move that would escalate the pressure campaign against the communist government on the island.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that federal prosecutors expect to unveil an indictment against the 94-year-old Castro in Miami on May 20 in connection with an incident dating back to 1996 in which Cuban aircraft shot down two planes belonging to a group of Cuban exiles.

An invitation seen by Reuters indicated that the Miami Prosecutor’s Office would organize an event on that day to honor the victims of the incident. The office has not yet responded to a request for comment. The indictment must first be approved by a grand jury. The Miami Herald newspaper was the first to report the planned announcement.

Raul Castro was Minister of Defense in 1996. The Cuban government said the strike was a legitimate response to the two planes’ intrusion into Cuban airspace.

This comes amid growing tension between Washington and Havana. The Trump administration has described the current communist-run Cuban government as corrupt and incompetent, and is pressing for regime change.