Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez criticized the US for indicting former Cuban leader Raul Castro, calling it an attempt to justify increased aggression against the Cuban people. Rodriguez labeled the accusation against Castro as “illegitimate and illegal,” citing historical facts about the 1996 downing of two aircraft by a Cuban exile group in the US.
Havana asserts that the aircraft were shot down in Cuban airspace in an act of self-defense. Rodriguez accused the US of involvement in violent actions against Cuba and condemned alleged extrajudicial killings by US forces in international waters. He emphasized Cuba’s right to self-defense and expressed unwavering support for Raul Castro and the country’s commitment to its revolution and socialism.
The US Department of Justice recently unsealed an indictment charging Raul Castro and five others in connection with the downing of the aircraft 30 years ago. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel dismissed the charges as a “political maneuver” lacking legal basis. Diaz-Canel criticized the US for attempting to justify military aggression against Cuba through fabricated accusations.
Diaz-Canel denounced US manipulation of events surrounding the aircraft downing and emphasized Cuba’s actions as legitimate self-defense. He praised Castro’s leadership and highlighted his support among the Cuban people and global leaders. Diaz-Canel defended Castro’s legacy against attempts to diminish his stature.
