The ‌United States plans to indict Cuba’s Raul ​Castro, a U.S. Department ⁠of Justice official said late on Thursday (May 14, 2026).

The timing of the potential indictment, which would ‌need to be approved by a grand jury, was not immediately ‌clear, but the official said it ‌sounds ⁠imminent.

The potential indictment of the ⁠94-year-old former President of Cuba and brother of Fidel Castro is expected to focus on ​the downing of ‌aircraft, the official said.

CBS previously reported that the conduct at issue in the case relates to Cuba’s deadly ‌1996 shootdown of planes operated by ​humanitarian group Brothers to the Rescue.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for ⁠the Southern District of Florida has been overseeing an effort to examine potential criminal ‌charges against senior Cuban government officials.

The Trump administration has called the current communist-run government corrupt and incompetent and is seeking to replace it, despite ongoing talks.

Negotiations appeared to have ‌stalled in recent weeks, though on Thursday the ​Cuban government confirmed it had met with CIA chief John Ratcliffe.

Ratcliffe ⁠told intelligence officials in Cuba that the ⁠U.S. was prepared to engage on economic security issues if ‌Cuba makes “fundamental changes,” a CIA official said.