🇺🇸|🇨🇺 DOJ Pays Tribute to Brothers To The Rescue Heroes Killed In 1996 Cuba Shootdown [LIVE]

Added: 2026-05-21

[00:00:17]Good afternoon. I'm Maline Pumarga, president of Miami date college. Welcome to the Freedom Tower. Today we gather at the Freedom Tower for a solemn and meaningful occasion as we welcome representatives from the United States Department of Justice, community leaders, families, honored guests to commemorate the legacy of the brothers to the rescue, and honor the victims whose lives were tragically lost in this pursuit of freedom. This ceremony is deeply significant because we stand here at the Freedom Tower, our Freedom Tower, a place that represents refuge, resilience, and enduring hope for those who came to America seeking liberty after fleeing a tyranny and oppression in Cuba. So many of our parents, our uncles and aunts, walked through these doors, 400,000 of them, looking for hope and opportunity. Today is their day. For generations of Cuban exiles, this building became more than a processing center. It became a symbol that freedom was still possible, a symbol that democracy, human dignity, and human rights matter. Today we remember the four brave men of the brothers to the rescue whose lives were taken on February 24th, 1996.

[00:01:41]Not in war, but during a humanitarian mission rooted in compassion and in courage, their sacrifice became a painful reminder to the world of the brutality of the Cuban regime and the high price so many have paid for speaking freely, defending democracy, and standing for human rights. We also recognize the countless victims who have suffered under the Cuban regime across generations, prisoners, families separated by exile, those silenced for dissonance, and all who have endured persecution, all in the pursuit of freedom and dignity. Their stories, our stories are part are part of the larger story of Cuba, but also the part of the story of Miami and this freedom tower itself. As we gather today, may we honor the memory of those not only with reflection, but with renewed commitment to truth, to justice, and to the preservation of the democratic values for future generations. Thank you for being here today for this important commemoration. May God bless each of you and may God bless the United States of America.

[00:03:09]And to our brothers and sisters in Cuba, we hear you. Freedom will come. Huva will be liberty.

[00:03:24]It is now my distinct honor representing all of you to introduce the United States Acting Attorney General Todd Blanch.

[00:03:48]Thank you.

[00:03:59]Thank you.

[00:04:07]Thank you. Thank you very much. It's great to be here uh in uh in the great state of Florida.

[00:04:15]Today we are announcing an indictment charging Rul Castro and several others with conspiracy to kill US nationals.

[00:04:42]Heat. HEAT.

[00:05:11]MR. Castro and the others are charged with additional crimes as well, including destruction of aircraft and four individual counts of murder.

[00:05:21]The indictment was returned by a grand jury sitting in this district of Miami on April 23rd, 2026 and was unsealed today. For nearly 30 years, 30 years, the families of four murdered Americans have waited for justice.

[00:05:43]On February, this is a a story all too familiar. On February 24th, 1996, two civilian aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue were shot down over international waters by military aircraft from Cuba. Four men were killed. Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandra Jr., Mario de la Pñena, and Pablo Morales.

[00:06:14]They were unarmed civilians and were flying humanitarian missions for the rescue and protection of people fleeing oppression across the Florida Straits. As alleged in the indictment, Ru Castro and five codefendants participated in a conspiracy that ended with Cuban military aircraft firing missiles at those civilian planes and killing four Americans. Those are the allegations returned by a federal grand jury. My message today is clear.

[00:06:49]The United States and President Trump does not and will not forget its citizens.

[00:07:26]I want to say that we also do not forget the families, the loved ones and the friends who have carried grief and heartache for 30 years for the first time in nearly 70 years, senior leadership of the Cuban regime has been charged in this country in the United States of America for acts of violence resulting in the deaths of American citizens.

[00:07:53]Nations and their leaders cannot be permitted to target Americans, kill them, and not face accountability.

[00:08:04]President Trump is committed to restoring a very simple but important principle. If you kill Americans, we will pursue you. No matter who you are, no matter what title you hold, and in this case, no matter how much time has passed.

[00:08:19]Um, I want to thank and everybody in this room should thank the FBI, the prosecutors, and the agents who worked on this matter. It includes the intelligence community and our federal and state law enforcement partners. They did the work here. So, thank you.

[00:08:50]There's a reason why myself and the senator and other leadership are here and not in Washington DC to announce this indictment.

[00:09:00]The community here, you all, understands the history of the Cuban regime better than anyone in America. Many families here know the cost of oppression. I've heard stories over the past week and past months. Every one of them heartbreaking.

[00:09:17]They know that the pain caused by the regime did not stop at the island's shores. And today's indictment, while it does not bring back the murdered victims, it makes a statement.

[00:09:28]The United States government has not forgotten these innocent men who were shot out of the sky. And as in every criminal case, the defendants are presumed innocent until and proven guilty by a jury of their peers. But today, the Department of Justice has taken an important step and brought this indictment. I'm proud to stand here on this podium with US Attorney Jason Reading Kones to my right, Chris Reya, Deputy Director of the FBI.

[00:10:03]You're going to you're going to get to clap. You're going to get to clap for Jason in 20 seconds. Chris Ray, deputy director of the FBI, and James Lithimer, the attorney general of this great state.

[00:10:21]and your and your great US senator is here as well. Uh she's very busy in DC, but uh wouldn't miss this for the world.

[00:10:29]So, thank you for being here, Senator Moody.

[00:10:36]So, I want to thank I want to thank Jason for his leadership down here in Florida. He's doing a great job beyond today. And I'd also ask him to to replace me at the podium to say a few words. So, thank you, Jason, very much.

[00:11:01]Good afternoon and thank you all for being here.

[00:11:05]It may sound a little repetitive some of the things we're saying, but they're worthy of saying twice, three times, a hundred times. So bear with us. For nearly 70 years, the communist Cuban regime has acted with impunity in its systematic repression of its people. And for the last 30 years, this regime's senior leadership has gone unchallenged for its murder of four Americans.

[00:11:34]Today, the United States announces a historic indictment charging Raul Castro and five codefendants for their roles in the February 24th, 1996 shoot down of two brothers to the rescue.

[00:11:55]A Miami grand jury has charged these defendants with conspiracy to kill US nationals, destruction of aircraft, and four counts of murder. The victims were four unarmed civilian pilots engaged in humanitarian work. Carlos Costa, Artober International Waters. Those missile those missiles destroyed the planes without warning and killed all aboard.

[00:12:20]For 30 years, the families have waited.

[00:12:25]The Miami community has waited and our country has waited. Today is a step towards accountability.

[00:12:33]This is the first time in almost 70 years that a senior leadership of the Cuban regime has been charged in the United States for acts of violence resulting in the death of Americans.

[00:12:45]The passage of time does not erase murder. It does not diminish the value of those lives and it does not weaken our commitment to the rule of law.

[00:12:56]Standing here in the freed standing here in the Freedom Tower gives this moment added meaning. This is the Ellis Island for Cuban refugees. It was the main processing center for countless exiles who fled communist Cuba with the hopes of reaching the American dream.

[00:13:15]My own mother spent her first night of the United States in this very building.

[00:13:21]After fleeing brutal communist Cuba, like so many families in Miami, mine understands what it means to arrive here with little more than hope and a chance to rebuild under the protection of American law.

[00:13:37]That history reminds me of the duty we carry. A duty to seek justice for victims. A duty to stand with families who have carried this pain for decades and a duty to make it clear that those who kill Americans cannot simply wait out American justice.

[00:14:10]Today's date, May 20th, also carries deep meaning for the Cuban people. It is their 4th of July. It marks Cuba's independence from colonial Spain. It reminds us that the pursuit of freedom, dignity, and accountability spans generations and still lives alive and well in the heart of the Cuban community.

[00:14:34]Today's indictment is one part of that long effort.

[00:14:38]When I came into office in August of last year, I made reviving this case a priority.

[00:14:47]And I want to thank the team that made it happen. My first assistant, US Attorney Yara Lorenzo Kucus and my assistant United States Attorneys, Abby Waxman and Mike Gilfar.

[00:15:22]in conjunction with FBI Miami's Cuba Squad, which we're not going to name or show their faces, for their commitment and drive to seeing this case through. It's incredible work.

[00:15:39]I also want to thank Mr. Attorney General for his incredible support and steady leadership of the department. And before I conclude, I also want to acknowledge the assistance of Florida Attorney General's Office, Attorney General James Uper and his team have been strong partners in this effort. Their support reflects the best of federal and state law enforcement working together in service of justice.

[00:16:13]With that, I turn the podium over to FBI's deputy director, Chris Rya. Thank you.

[00:16:27]All right. Good afternoon, everyone. Uh before I begin, I specifically want to thank the attorney general and of course the US attorney here for allowing me to speak to you all today. And I also want to thank you all for giving me the opportunity to showcase the small part uh that the FBI played. As was stated, today marks a significant moment in a long, long journey for justice. A journey that began 30 years ago with an unprovoked attack on American lives.

[00:16:59]Four humanitarians were on a noble mission to help those fleeing oppression. Instead, their lives were violently taken in a reckless act by the Cuban regime.

[00:17:13]The FBI, the Department of Justice, and countless others never forgot them, and we never stopped hunting for the truth.

[00:17:24]Today's announcement shows that if it's five months, five years, five decades, we will keep pursuing you and we'll keep pursuing anyone who who intends to harm our citizens and they will face American justice.

[00:17:42]I'd like to thank our dedicated special agents, our dedicated prosecutors, our dedicated intelligence analysts, and our dedicated professional staff, as well as our counter intelligence program for never giving up.

[00:17:58]Enormous, enormous credit is due to the many teams across the 16 different FBI cases regarding this matter. the teams who have worked to hold members of the Cuban government's Wasp network accountable.

[00:18:15]Our people have systematically and relentlessly searched for evidence, conducted countless interviews, and pieced together critical intelligence for nearly three decades.

[00:18:27]They turned dead ends into fresh leads.

[00:18:30]And over the years, that hard work has paid off with convictions of multiple operatives for activities related to that vicious shootown.

[00:18:41]The charges we announced today are only the latest milestone on that road to justice. A road paved with persistence, partnership, and extreme, extreme resolve.

[00:18:53]Do anyone who spies on our country or harms our citizens know this? The FBI, the Department of Justice has a long memory. We will come after you and we will find you.

[00:19:20]As I close, I'd like to close with a personal anecdote as this is deeply personable personal to me.

[00:19:28]You see, I was a former member of the United States Coast Guard right here in Miami Beach in Key West, Florida in the 1990s.

[00:19:36]I conducted numerous, numerous humanitarian missions with my fellow Coast Guardsmen, rescuing Cuban citizens who were just trying to find a better life.

[00:19:49]I also was was fortunate enough to act as security during remembrance ceremonies held at the 12 nautical mile limit just outside of Cuban territorial waters. I served on Coastg Guard cutters that provided the security to the friends and family who were just trying to remember their lost loved ones. So for me, today brings everything full circle.

[00:20:18]So in that vein, we dedicate all three decades of casework to the memories of the loved ones lost that day, to the victims, families, and friends. We stand with you as we hold those responsibilities to account. Now, I'm going to turn it over to the US Senator of this great state, Senator Moody.

[00:20:40]Thank you.

[00:20:46]What a day.

[00:20:50]What a day.

[00:20:53]Three months ago, I joined you on the anniversary to mark the killing of Carlos Armando Mario Pablo and I said it was not a cold case.

[00:21:10]It was never a cold case. It was a never a who done it. We always knew who was responsible for the killing of those young men.

[00:21:22]That was three months ago.

[00:21:25]And I am so proud to join you today to say we're finally bringing justice to those families. And not just those families, everyone sitting here today for the past 30 years who have kept this case hot.

[00:21:41]who have met with me as the attorney general, who repeatedly met with law enforcement, who repeatedly met with leaders, so many who came together and kept that case hot, like those that are no longer with us, like Lincoln Diaz Bolard.

[00:21:58]He would be right here in the front row today.

[00:22:07]They kept it hot.

[00:22:10]And just three months later, we are standing here on this important day when Cuba became a free state, a free people to say we are living up to bringing accountability to the Castros and the regime that stole that independence. That's what we're doing today.

[00:22:35]It's an honor to be here today with our acting attorney general Todd Blanch as the indictment is unsealed against others but particularly against Raul Castro for his role in the brothers to the rescue murders. This moment has been decades in the making. And I want to thank all of the lawyers who read over all of the trial transcripts, the weeks and weeks of trial transcripts that put back together every piece of evidence and waited for that last piece of evidence to come into view and into your possession and never gave up and never gave up.

[00:23:17]For so many Cuban families, they know you can never become complacent in defending liberty, in fighting for freedom. And Florida is the symbolism of fighting for freedom when the beating heartbeat of that for this nation. So I thank you. Thank you for being here today and remembering what it's like to hold tyrants accountable.

[00:23:50]And it is why I applaud the Department of Justice for bringing these charges.

[00:23:56]You know, previous administrations, as those of you met with leadership, reminded them of 30 years ago what happened.

[00:24:08]Previous administrations would release the one person we convicted related to it, maybe even go down there and go to a baseball game. The last administration decided we were going to, I don't know, rel uh relax our banking restrictions or whatever, maybe coddle them into freedom.

[00:24:30]But not this administration.

[00:24:33]They took the bold step of actually bringing accountability and understanding that accountability works.

[00:24:50]So we thank President Trump for recognizing that, for being brave and bringing justice for these four men, for their families, and indeed for freedom.

[00:25:06]And I want to tell you when Governor DeSantis appointed me to be your newest United States Senator, he did so and said,"I want you to take everything you know about this state, every person you've met with, everything you've learned, every battle you've fought to make Florida what it is, take that to Washington, and let's get things done." And I am so proud to be here today to say we got things done.

[00:25:42]And so on today, May 20th, on the day that Cuba became a free and independent state, I would like to end my visit with you by reading the following.

[00:26:00]And it is a penalty sheet in the Southern District of Florida, United State District Court, advising that Raul Castro will face count one, conspiracy to kill US nationals facing a maximum term of imprisonment of life imprisonment.

[00:26:26]Counts two and three, destruction of aircraft, facing a maximum term of imprisonment on each count of up to 5 years in prison. And counts four through seven, the charges of murder, facing a maximum term of imprisonment on each count of death or life imprisonment.

[00:26:48]God bless you. God bless this great free state of Florida and our United States of America.

[00:27:23]Good morning. It's an honor to be here and support Attorney General Blanch, Senator Moody, and your great United States Attorney uh Jason Reading Kinyones.

[00:27:34]Communist revolution always begins with the same utopian lie, a classless, stateless paradise of abundance and freedom.

[00:27:46]But we know the reality. In reality, there is no abundance nor freedom.

[00:27:53]Rather, it obstructs individual personal property rights, suffocates merit, and centralizes total power in the hands of tyrants.

[00:28:09]We've seen what communism has brought us.

[00:28:13]over a 100 million people that have lost their lives, engineered famines, and the total destruction of human liberty.

[00:28:25]Just 90 miles from our Florida shorelines, the Castro family has ruled the island with an iron fist. For nearly 50 years, Raul Castro directed the armed forces and served as chief enforcer.

[00:28:42]the very man who traded the promise of revolution for a prison state.

[00:28:49]And under his command and to this day, Cuba remains a dungeon.

[00:28:55]Political dissidents are ripped from their homes at night under fabricated charges. They're dragged through the streets, beaten, and imprisoned for decades.

[00:29:08]I know this pain is all too real for many of you in this room.

[00:29:13]The people have long suffered because of that communist regime.

[00:29:20]And today that hits very close to home here in the Freedom Tower with the brothers to the rescue.

[00:29:28]Raul Castro ordered those fighter jets to shoot down unarmed civilian aircraft.

[00:29:35]It was not an accident.

[00:29:37]It was intentional, premeditated, state sanctioned murder.

[00:29:45]And their criminal conspiracy violated Florida sovereignty. They embedded spies here in Miami and across jurisdictions down into the Florida Keys, revealing the intelligence that would put these civilian aircraft in the crosshairs.

[00:30:03]And yet for too long leaders in Washington looked the other way. They sat by idly. They even attended baseball games with the very man that directed the murders.

[00:30:18]Not anymore. We are blessed to have a president, Donald J. Trump.

[00:30:33]We are blessed to have a president and Donald J. Trump who will not bend the knee for communist tyrants.

[00:30:46]And we are blessed to have Attorney General Blanch and your United States Attorney that advance justice and rule of law and who are not going to politically weaponize government.

[00:31:06]It's an honor to support them in this endeavor. Uh last year, right after I took office, I directed our prosecutors to reopen the investigation into the Castros and these murders. Working handinand with the US attorney and supporting his team, we are today one step closer to advancing justice.

[00:31:37]And the cooperation between the United States and state of Florida could not be more critical than today. Americans deserve justice. Flidians deserve justice. The family members of these men that lost their lives, they deserve justice.

[00:31:54]Now, going forward, let me be crystal clear. There can be no future for a free Cuba so long as the Castros and their criminal gang of thugs remain in power.

[00:32:34]We now have the leaders that will pursue that which is right and just. That I know. So get ready. There's more to come. God bless America and God bless the free state of Florida.

[00:32:57]So, we're going to just take a couple questions, although the questions should be directed to uh the reason why we're here today and not something else. So, are there other reporters and uh Pierre, Attorney General Blanch, uh key question, why now? Was there a breakthrough in this case? Can you speak to the evidence that leads you to believe that Royal Castro directly participated in the deaths of those Americans who were killed? And I have a followup.

[00:33:28]>> Well, I cannot explain or justify why now as opposed to two decades ago or 30 years ago when it happened. So, what I can say is that you just heard a lot of people talk about a ton of work that the FBI did, state and local intelligence communities, our US attorney and and and the attorney general's state attorney general's team and that evidence was presented to a grand jury um in late April and an indictment was returned. So, I can't as far as what the evidence is. Well, a lot of it's in the indictment and it would not be appropriate or fair to comment outside of the indictment about the evidence, but as as you guys know, a grand jury is presented with evidence and and and then returns an indictment to the extent that that they believe there's probable cause that a crime has been committed, which a grand jury certainly did here. And quick followup, what are the prospects that you could get Ral Castro to the United States to face justice uh given the situation there? Uh and what states steps are the US willing to take to get him back here?

[00:34:30]Well, we we indict men outside of this country all the time and there's all kinds of different ways that we get them here. The reason why we indict somebody is because we want them here to face justice in front of a jury of their peers. So, how we go about doing that obviously depends on the circumstances in the case. And I'm not going to go beyond that, but but we we expect we didn't indict. This isn't a show indictment.

[00:35:05]This is an indictment because we we expect that there was a warrant issued for his arrest. So, um we expect that that he will show up here um by his own will or by another way and next question.

[00:35:24]>> Yep. Go ahead.

[00:35:27]>> Are any other than the Castro family potentially tied up in this? Could there be other charges from members in the Castro family from the Castro regime?

[00:35:38]Well, as you just heard, this is a indictment in some ways 30 years in the making. There is not a prosecutor in this room or an FBI agent in this room that ever stops investigating. So, um whether there will be additional charges, whether are um the additional defendants charged um who who knows, but this an investigation like this is never over. And so I I assure you the men and women who have been working tirelessly on this case um for the past several months years are not just going to retire. So you just point to somebody I don't like.

[00:36:15]Good afternoon. Many Cuban Americans are elated, emotional, hopeful on a day like today. What do you tell the Cuban community who is happy about today's announcement but is wondering how you pursue these charges? What comes next?

[00:36:32]>> I mean, that's the same question I just answered. I think that that there's a process that happens, right? And so, what's the first process is it's a it's a charge. It's an indictment. And that happens all across this country constantly. And then the next question is, okay, so when is this guy going to show up and and and you know, appear in court and and have a trial or or what what have you? And I I would say to to those that wonder whether this is um just an indictment or we're going to go away, we're not. So go ahead. Yes, the blue shirt. Yeah.

[00:37:12]Thank >> go to the middle next.

[00:37:15]Attorney General Blanch, we would like to know what would be the next step to a lot of people are wondering if there will be any sort of attack, military response from the United States. If this now indictment gives permission for the United States to be closer to Cuba and again get Rahul Castro and those others implicated here to the United States.

[00:37:40]>> So I'm I'm the acting attorney general of the Department of Justice. we bring charges. So the question you asked is is is a question that involves um the department, the president of the United States, the secretary of war, the secretary of state, and doesn't doesn't involve um the acting attorney general.

[00:37:58]So, all I what I can tell you is that that this is is um this indictment, as we've said a bunch of times today, is a result of of a lot of hard work and and what we believe is an important step in bringing um some semblance of justice to the families of of and friends and loved ones of of these men who were murdered.

[00:38:20]Um but beyond that, I'm not going to talk about what could happen with Cuba beyond that.

[00:38:25]>> Yes. Go ahead.

[00:38:28]Attorney General Gloria Odas from Telmundo in Quentauno. Thank you for this opportunity.

[00:38:34]The next step is going to be an arrest warrant. And I ask you this because um the Cuban exile would love to see Rahul Castro in the same position of Nicolas Maduro and and a lot of legal experts that we have interviewed during these days have said that Rahul Castro that this indictment will be more symbolic that than practice and that Rahul Castro probably died in Cuba. What is your message for them?

[00:39:11]>> Well, I'm not going to compare cases for one, for two, um, like I said a few minutes ago, we indict men who are not physically within the United States all the time. This is not a new um, endeavor or venture adventure for us.

[00:39:28]And so, the way that we get people here who are charged with a crime varies.

[00:39:33]There's all kinds of different ways. And and this is not, you know, there's an arrest warrant issue for a reason because we we certainly expect and believe that Mr. Castro was entitled to his day in court right here in Miami.

[00:39:46]Um Sue, Yep. Thank you, sir. Jesse Hers with NBC News. Uh you mentioned that the grand jury uh approved these charges weeks ago. Curious to know what, if any, role the CIA director's visit to Cuba in recent days played in deciding to move forward with announcing this indictment.

[00:40:03]And I want >> I'm not going to get into why we decided to um unseal the indictment today except to note the place that we're standing and the important day that today represents. But yes, you're right.

[00:40:15]There's a lot of factors that go into when a sealed indictment is unsealed, if ever. And and so beyond just just the fact that look, it by the way, it wasn't that long ago. It was late April. It's it's miday. So >> thank you. One other question. when when when if people look at this and say this is at least partially just a pretext to push for regime change in Cuba, what would you say to people who take that perspective?

[00:40:39]>> I don't care what people look at and think. I mean, we returned an indictment and um that's what we're here to talk about. If if people want to speculate or think what they will, I don't I don't care. Okay, one more question. Blue.

[00:40:51]>> Hi. So, the final speaker Oh, thank you.

[00:40:53]Hi, I'm Deborah Aassa with the Wall Street Journal. The final speaker mentioned or hinted at a potential team of people that has been put together to lead the country. Who are those people?

[00:41:06]Are they in the United States? Are they in Cuba? Is it a mix of both? Can you share a little bit more about that team?

[00:41:13]>> I I'm not sure what you're talking about. Can you say it again?

[00:41:18]>> At the very the final speaker mentioned that there is a team of people that's going to lead this forward.

[00:41:25]Huh?

[00:41:26]>> Final speaker.

[00:41:27]>> So, why don't we let the final speaker address that?

[00:41:32]>> And thank you for the new nickname.

[00:41:34]>> Yeah. Yeah. Very good.

[00:41:35]>> Will ever be known as the final speaker.

[00:41:37]>> That's probably easier to pronounce than my last name. But, uh, I I I don't think I referenced what you're saying where I talked about people spread across the state. I was talking about the spies and the criminal conspiracy that the evidence has revealed took place. There were spies working from Miami all the way down to the Florida Keys, gathering intelligence and providing it to the regime uh to to figure out where these aircraft were going to be and put them in harm's way. Uh as far as other geopolitical things, I'm I'm going to stay in my lane for now. Thanks.

[00:42:16]Thank you everyone. This concludes a press conference on behalf of Miami date college in the Freedom Tower. Thank you so much for being here and you may go upstairs to an exhibit. Lea, >> there could be more to come and investigate.

[00:42:44]All right, we're taking it.

[00:43:06]It's time.