Republicans in Washington react to Castro's indictment

Added: 2026-05-22

[00:00:00]continues now with Local 10's Ross Ketchy live in Washington.

[00:00:03]>> He has the latest on how South Florida lawmakers are reacting tonight. Ross, >> well, like so many Cuban Americans in South Florida, these Republican lawmakers have personally been waiting decades for this development, several of them have even personally been lobbying the White House, the Department of Justice, and even President Donald Trump himself in favor of indicting Ral Castro.

[00:00:25]>> We've been waiting for this day for over 30 years. News of the federal indictment of Raul Castro echoing through the US capital. The criminal charges championed by South Florida Republicans who personally lobbyed the White House and DOJ to reopen the case against the former Cuban president.

[00:00:40]>> But we have a different president now.

[00:00:42]We have a president who's not willing to look the other way.

[00:00:46]>> The long rumored indictment was unsealed this afternoon. The charges tied to the deadly 1996 shootown of two unarmed Cessna planes flying over international waters for the South Florida group Brothers to the Rescue. The attack killed four people, including three American citizens. The indictment alleges Castro, as leader of Cuba's armed forces, gave the order to strike.

[00:01:05]>> This was premeditated murder.

[00:01:07]>> The indictment comes as the US ramps up pressure on the communist government, blocking virtually all fuel from reaching the island, triggering a worsening energy crisis.

[00:01:15]>> What they started, um, which is still work to do in Venezuela, and now what they're doing here to make sure we starve the regime of resources. The majority of people previously charged in that 1996 attack have remained out of reach of US law enforcement. But President Trump has leaned into using military force to enforce US policy.

[00:01:35]In January, US forces captured Nicholas Maduro in Venezuela, who was also facing a federal indictment. Salazar telling Local 10 she would support a similar mission to take Castro into custody.

[00:01:45]>> This is the beginning of the end. He's 95 years old. They have just indicted him for murder, for conspiracy, for destruction, for wanting to kill American citizens.

[00:01:58]Now, it's important to underscore that this indictment of Raul Castro is taking place against the backdrop of such heightened tensions between the United States and Cuba. In the last few days, Cuban President Miguel Diaz Canel warned that any US military intervention on the island would trigger what he described as a blood bath. And just days ago, we began to see reports that the Cuban military is now in possession of several hundred drones potentially with the capability of reaching the United States. Uh that is something that South Florida Republican Congressman Carlos Emmenz just told me in a long conversation presents a direct national security threat to the United States, especially being just 90 miles south of Florida. We'll have more on that conversation with Congressman Himenez and the national security threat he says the Cuban regime is actively posing to the United States coming up at 6:00 and during World News at 6:30. But for now, we're live on Capitol Hill. Ross Ketchky, Local 10 News. Obia Ross.