Florida issues state arrest warrant for Raúl Castro in 1996 shootdown
Florida issued a no-bond arrest warrant for Raúl Castro, 95, CBS Miami and Fox News reported. The charge is conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the 1996 Brothers to the Rescue shootdown, announced Monday in Miami by James Uthmeier. Castro already faces a separate federal case.
Florida has issued a no-bond state arrest warrant for former Cuban leader Raúl Castro, 95, on one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the February 24, 1996, Brothers to the Rescue shootdown that killed four men, CBS News Miami and Fox News reported. Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the warrant Monday at Florida International University in Miami, CBS Miami reported. Fox News said a Miami-Dade judge found probable cause and that the warrant directs law enforcement to arrest him.
The four killed were Carlos Costa, Pablo Morales, Mario de la Peña and Armando Alejandre Jr., CBS Miami reported, naming the victims Uthmeier cited. Three were US citizens and one a legal resident, CBS Miami reported. Florida says Cuban spies in Miami-area communities fed the group's flight data to Havana, according to Uthmeier's statement quoted by CBS Miami. Fox News said Castro already faces a separate federal prosecution over the same shootdown.
Uthmeier said Cuban spies "operated in our communities" and helped put civilian pilots "in the crosshairs of Cuban MiGs," according to his statement quoted by CBS Miami. Those lines are the state's claims. Fox News quoted Cuban remarks attributed in case materials as "Try to shoot them down," language that belongs to the state's affidavit narrative and is not independently verified here. Castro remains in Cuba, and neither CBS Miami nor Fox News reports an imminent arrest. Miami-Dade Commissioner Natalie Milian Orbis praised the warrant in a statement carried by CBS Miami. Fox News said Governor Ron DeSantis was expected to address the warrant Monday.
What we know: Florida issued a no-bond state warrant accusing Raúl Castro of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the 1996 shootdown.
What we don't: Whether Cuba will respond, or whether Castro will ever face a Florida court.
Where outlets agree CBS Miami and Fox News report that Florida issued a no-bond state arrest warrant accusing Raúl Castro of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the 1996 Brothers to the Rescue shootdown.
Where they differ The cited reports agree on the key facts so far.