Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier secures state arrest warrant for Raúl Castro
Florida has secured a state arrest warrant for former Cuban leader Raúl Castro, accusing him of conspiring to commit first-degree murder in the 1996 shootdown of a civilian aircraft. The warrant adds a Florida case to the separate federal prosecution he already faces and reflects renewed efforts by state authorities to pursue accountability for the deaths.
Issued in Miami-Dade County, the no-bond warrant says a judge found probable cause and directs law enforcement to arrest Castro. It names four men killed aboard the Brothers to the Rescue plane: Carlos Costa, Pablo Morales, Mario de la Peña and Armando Alejandre Jr. Investigators allege the plan passed through Cuba’s chain of command, with Raúl and Fidel Castro as final decision-makers; Cuba has said the group violated its airspace and that the country was defending its sovereignty. Florida is seeking Castro’s return if he is arrested elsewhere in the United States.
- Florida issued Raúl Castro a no-bond arrest warrant.
- The charge concerns the 1996 shootdown that killed four men.
- Castro also faces a separate federal prosecution.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of the warrant can argue that the deaths of four civilians warrant accountability, and that alleged orders through Cuba’s chain of command justify examining the responsibility of senior leaders as well as those who carried them out. A state case may help preserve evidence and provide a route to arrest if Castro enters US custody, while a probable-cause finding gives the warrant a judicial basis.
The case against
Critics can argue that a decades-old state warrant against a former foreign leader may have limited practical effect and risks being seen as a political gesture, particularly alongside an existing federal prosecution. Cuba’s account that the aircraft violated its airspace raises a sovereignty and self-defence dispute, while the allegations against Castro and the chain of command still require proof in court.