Florida Issues Arrest Warrant for Former Cuban Leader Raúl Castro

2026-10-19 politics

Miami, Monday, 19 October 2026.
A Florida judge issued a state arrest warrant for 95-year-old Raúl Castro, charging him with conspiracy to commit murder over the 1996 shootdown of two civilian aircraft.

State Charges Escalating Parallel to Federal Prosecution

On October 16, 2026, Chief Judge Ariana Fajardo Orshan of the 11th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida signed a state-level, no-bond arrest warrant for 95-year-old former Cuban leader Raúl Castro [3][4][6]. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, whose Office of Statewide Prosecution initiated a state-level criminal investigation alongside the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in March 2026, formally announced the warrant at a news conference on Monday, October 19, 2026, at Florida International University in Miami [4][5][6][8]. The state charge focuses on one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder stemming from the February 24, 1996, shootdown of two unarmed civilian aircraft operated by the Miami-based exile organization Brothers to the Rescue [4][6][8].

Details of the 1996 Incident and Jurisdiction

The 1996 aerial attack resulted in the deaths of four pilots and crew members: Carlos Costa, Pablo Morales, Mario de la Peña, and Armando Alejandre Jr. [4]. At the time, Castro served as Cuba’s defense minister and oversaw the military chain of command [1][8]. According to court affidavits supporting the state warrant, probable cause for Florida’s jurisdiction was established because Cuban government spies allegedly gathered intelligence, monitored the Naval Air Station Key West, and transmitted flight coordinates from within South Florida prior to the shootdown [4][5][6].

Political Context and Repercussions

The legal maneuvers carry significant political weight across South Florida, home to a prominent Cuban-American constituency [GPT]. Miami-Dade County Commissioner Natalie Milian Orbis issued a statement applauding the state warrant, noting that local authorities are actively pushing for accountability three decades after the incident [5]. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was also scheduled to address the development at a press conference on October 19, 2026, emphasizing the state’s continued stance against the Cuban regime [4].

Sources

Raúl Castro U.S.-Cuba Relations