Four Republican lawmakers have called on President Donald Trump to instruct the Justice Department to reopen a criminal investigation into Cuban leader Raul Castro’s suspected involvement in the 1996 shootdown of two civilian aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue. Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar, along with Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart, Carlos Gimenez, and Nicole Malliotakis, penned a letter to the President requesting a fresh examination of the case. They are seeking potential charges and international arrest notices against Castro and other Cuban officials implicated in the incident.
The lawmakers have urged the Department of Justice to reevaluate existing evidence, scrutinize command responsibility within the Cuban regime’s top echelons, and utilize all legal avenues to hold those responsible for the deaths of three American citizens and one US permanent resident accountable. Salazar emphasized the opportunity to correct a historical injustice, stating that Castro and regime officials must face justice for their actions.
President Trump’s support for democracy activists and his stance against oppressive dictators was highlighted by Diaz-Balart, who pointed out the upcoming 30th anniversary of the tragic shootdown authorized by Raul Castro. Gimenez emphasized the clarity of evidence linking Castro to the crime and called for decisive action from the Department of Justice. Malliotakis echoed the sentiment, stressing the need to end the impunity enjoyed by the Castro regime for the murder of American citizens.
The letter, also addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi, praised the President’s efforts to enhance security and justice in US foreign policy. The lawmakers reiterated their belief in Raul Castro’s culpability for the crime. Brothers to the Rescue, a humanitarian group aiding Cuban rafters fleeing the dictatorship, lost three American lives and one US permanent resident in the 1996 incident when Cuban military jets shot down their aircraft over international waters.
