Justice Department announces charges tied to 1996 Cuba plane shootdown

Added: 2026-05-22

[00:00:00]Good afternoon. We're coming on the air for major developments at this hour in the rising tensions between the US and Cuba. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanch is set to hold a news conference in Miami just a short time from now.

[00:00:11]These are pictures coming in right now of the motorcade headed to this news conference uh in what will be considered a major escalation here between the US and Cuba. The Justice Department has just unsealed an indictment charging former Cuban President Raul Castro with murder for his alleged role in the 1996 shootown of two planes that were carrying humanitarian aid that resulted in the deaths of four people including three Americans. Now 94 years old Raul Castro of course is the brother of the late longtime President Fidel Castro who ruled Cuba for nearly 50 years. The four volunteers who were killed were part of the humanitarian group Brothers to the Rescue. Now, the charges come after President Trump took action, of course, in Venezuela, then Iran. He's now focusing on Cuba as well. President Trump previously imposing a blockade of oil shipments to Cuba in an effort to continue to Cuba's economy.

[00:01:04]President Trump has said in recent months that the US was in talks with Havana. He raised the possibility of a friendly takeover of Cuba in his words.

[00:01:13]And the president has said Cuba is going to fall pretty soon in his words as well. You saw those images just moments ago, the motorcade bringing the attorney general Todd Blance to this news conference. Also traveling with the attorney general is our own chief justice correspondent Pierre Thomas who joins me on the phone. Pierre, this will be a major announcement here today.

[00:01:33]>> Indeed, it was 30 years in the making.

[00:01:36]Uh this case has been developing. The Justice Department now saying they have evidence. They they can charge R Castro with direct involvement in the shootown of those two sets of planes in which four people were killed, three Americans. Uh the attorney general will be speaking shortly. Uh we expect to get a question or two to him. Um motorcate just landed. Took us about 15 minutes to get here. David, >> we have been watching images of the motorcade come in, bringing Todd Blanch to this news conference in Miami again where they will announce these charges against Raul Castro. Uh Pierre, the obvious question for Americans watching this unfold. Uh why now?

[00:02:17]>> That is the exact question I expect to pose to the attorney general. Uh they claim that they have uh evidence, if you read the indictment, I had a chance to peruse it. They claim they have evidence that any kill orders regarding those boats that were uh in planes that were dealing with uh trying to get out of Cuba. This uh rescue group was involved in trying to help people who were trying to traverse the Florida Straits to get to the United States. Uh in this particular case, uh the order was given to shoot those planes out of the sky, killing those people. The government said it has evidence that Ro Castro was directly involved in that chain of command.

[00:02:58]>> We're going to keep our eyes peeled on this news conference. Pierre, I know you're traveling with the attorney general. You'll be entering that room right along with the AG just moments from now. We will go right to him when he announces uh this indictment that's been unsealed. Also watching with us, Matt Rivers. is live in Miami at this hour. South Florida, Little Havana. News spreading very quickly there, Matt. I'm sure. Have people learned of this indictment?

[00:03:22]>> Yes, they absolutely have, David, and they've been waiting for this really even since we reported it last week.

[00:03:26]They knew this was coming, and now that they can see the indictment for themselves, you know, we've been seeing people drive past us here in Little Havana, honking their horns, Cuban flags out the windows. We've seen some Make America Great Again hats here. People are very much uh in favor of this, at least in this part of the world. I think a lot of the people that we've had conversations with now, David, are saying a couple of things. One, this is a big deal for them, but also what it means to have the United States government call this man formerly a criminal. It means a lot to people here in Little Havana.

[00:03:56]>> Todd Lanch, the attorney general entering the room along with uh other US attorneys, the FBI director, uh deputy director expected to be there, Senator Ashley Moody of Florida, uh expected also to be here today. We'll be hearing uh from her as well. You see Todd Blanch there uh just off to your right now standing behind the podium expected to make some comments here. Let's listen.

[00:04:17]>> 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.

[00:05:41]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.

[00:07:08]And to our brothers and sisters in Cuba, we hear you. Freedom will come. Kuva will be liberated.

[00:07:24]It is now my distinct honor representing all of you to introduce the United States Acting Attorney General Todd Blanch.

[00:07:48]Thank you.

[00:07:58]Thank you.

[00:08:07]Thank you. Thank you very much. It's great to be here uh in uh in the great state of Florida.

[00:08:14]Today we are announcing an indictment charging Rul Castro and several others with conspiracy to kill US nationals.

[00:08:27]Just Heat. Heat.

[00:09:10]Mr. Castro and the others are charged with additional crimes as well, including destruction of aircraft and four individual counts of murder.

[00:09:21]The indictment was returned by a grand jury sitting in this district in Miami on April 23rd, 2026 and was unsealed today.

[00:09:33]For nearly 30 years, 30 years, the families of four murdered Americans have waited for justice.

[00:09:43]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.

[00:10:14]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.

[00:10:49]The United States and President Trump does not and will not forget its citizens.

[00:11:26]I want 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.

[00:11:53]Nations and their leaders cannot be permitted to target Americans, kill them, and not face accountability.

[00:12:04]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.

[00:12:18]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.

[00:12:49]There's a reason why myself and the senator and other leadership are here and not in Washington DC to announce this indictment.

[00:13:00]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.

[00:13:14]every one of them heartbreaking.

[00:13:16]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. 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.

[00:14:02]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 Oheimer, the attorney general of this great state 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.

[00:14:28]So, thank you for being here, Senator Moody.

[00:14:36]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.

[00:15:01]Good afternoon and thank you all for being here.

[00:15:05]It may sound a little repetitive some of the things we're saying, but they're worthy of saying twice, three times, a 100 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.

[00:15:33]Today, the United States announces a historic indictment charging Raul Castro and five codefendants for their roles in the February 24th, 1996 shootown of two brothers to the rescue.

[00:15:54]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, Armando Alejande Jr., Mario De La, and Pablo Morales. They were not combatants. They were not armed and they pose no threat. According to the indictment, Raul Castro, then Minister of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces, authorized and oversaw a military chain of command that ended with Cuban fighter jets firing air-to-air missiles at civilian aircraft over international waters. Those missile those missiles destroyed the planes without warning and killed all aboard.

[00:16:46]For 30 years, the families have waited.

[00:16:50]The Miami community has waited and our country has waited. Today is a step towards accountability.

[00:16:58]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.

[00:17:10]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.

[00:17:22]Standing here in the Freeda Tower, 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.

[00:17:40]My own mother spent her first night in the United States in this very building.

[00:17:46]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.

[00:18:02]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.

[00:18:35]Today's date, May 20th, also carries deep meaning for the Cuban people. It is their Fourth 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.

[00:19:00]Today's indictment is one part of that long effort.

[00:19:04]When I came into office in August of last year, I made reviving this case a priority.

[00:19:12]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.

[00:19:48]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.

[00:20:04]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.

[00:20:39]With that, I turn the podium over to FBI's deputy director, Chris Rya. Thank you.

[00:20:53]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.

[00:21:24]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.

[00:21:38]The FBI, the Department of Justice, and countless others never forgot them, and we never stopped hunting for the truth.

[00:21:49]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.

[00:22:08]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.

[00:22:24]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.

[00:22:40]Our people have systematically and relentlessly searched for evidence, conducted countless interviews, and pieced together critical intelligence for nearly three decades.

[00:22:52]They turned dead ends into fresh leads.

[00:22:56]And over the years, that hard work has paid off with convictions of multiple operatives for activities related to that vicious shootown.

[00:23:06]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.

[00:23:18]To 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.

[00:23:46]As I close, I'd like to close with a personal anecdote as this is deeply personable personal to me.

[00:23:54]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. I conducted numerous numerous humanitarian missions with my fellow Coast Guardsmen rescuing Cuban citizens who were just trying to find a better life.

[00:24:15]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 Coast 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.

[00:24:44]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, FBI Deputy Director, turning it over to the senator there from Florida. And, uh, the attorney general, uh, Todd Blanch, will be back at that podium in just a moment, expected to take questions. Uh, and among those asking the questions, we believe right off the top will be Pierre Thomas, our chief justice correspondent.

[00:25:21]And of course that key question of why now Pierre is uh set to pose to the attorney general. So we're going to monitor this and we'll go right back to that moment as soon as we get there. In the meantime, uh let's bring in Dan Abrams, our chief legal analyst. And Dan, you heard the deputy FBI director say three decades of investigating this case uh culminating with this indictment today. From a legal perspective, what is what's the rationale, the reasoning for bringing these charges now? Well, look, we're going to have to we're going to have to see the indictment um and hear more to know exactly why they say now.

[00:25:56]My guess as to why they say now would be that they would say they have been more vigilant in trying to bring this case than past administrations. And as a result, they would say they've gathered new evidence. But here's something very important to remember. This is actually going to be adding something to an existing criminal case that was brought in 2003 in connection with this attack. So, it's not as if there have been no charges brought in connection with the attack since 1996. There were charges brought in 2003 against three people, but they were never extradited to face trial. And that's going to be the challenge here, right? So once they get this indictment, which they now have, uh they have the charges. It doesn't seem they have statute of limitations problems because uh these particular federal charges don't have statute of limitations.

[00:26:52]Challenge one is going to be getting these people including R. Castro back to the United States. And number two, even if they do, remember this is now a 30-year-old case, right? That means witnesses are going to be testifying about things that happened 30 years ago.

[00:27:10]That's not easy. In any case, now prosecutors will say that they have an audio intercept of R. Castro where they may have his his voice. That would be a very important piece of evidence. Of course, there'll be a fight over whether that becomes admissible, but probably would be. So, a lot of things to think about after the point of we've got an indictment. Uh, we now have a grand jury. Then you start thinking about the next steps which is getting them here and what a trial might look like.

[00:27:39]>> 94 years old Raul Castro and I know it is a bit of a guessing game at this point Dan Abrams but what does that look like when you talk about extraditing a 94 year old to the United States for a case 30 years later here?

[00:27:50]>> Look, Cuba doesn't extradite, right? So there's going to have to be some new policy that is implemented based on political force to get Cuba to suddenly give up Ronald Castro. I I I don't see how that would happen. But look, things are changing and there's a lot of pressure going on right now. So So that would be the only way. There's not going to be, I don't think, the sort of typical extra extradition process that we would have with, for example, you know, a European ally, etc. So that's going to be the first thing they're going to have to think about. And you point out, David, correctly, his age, right? He's 94 years old. Um, you know, how long would this process take? Has there been any working behind the scenes to think about what would happen uh next and and how they would go about getting these folks? Now, remember in Venezuela uh the United States took took another attack on that and went in and captured him and the the justification was that he was wanted on federal charges and they were all federal charges. So, could there be a situation like that that happens again here? That's another possibility. Of course, you're bringing up Nicholas Maduro that looked very different from what we're seeing play out here. But as you point out, Dan, this will certainly be fascinating to watch as it does play out. Obviously, because of the relationship between US and Cuba or lack thereof, uh there isn't an extradition process in place. And even with our allies, uh extradition can often times be a real challenge, let alone when you're dealing uh with ongoing tension uh for many, many decades uh with Cuba. So, we'll continue to watch the legal process. Still very uh early in all of this since we have just learned of the indictment. Dan Abrams is watching along with us here today. Dan, thank you. Also, uh watching this play out and again, we're awaiting the attorney general who will take questions from reporters in that room, including our Pierre Thomas. As we await that moment, I want to bring in uh Terresa Rodriguez. She's a longtime former reporter for Univision. very well known in South Florida, across the country, but in South Florida particularly because she covered uh Cuba for many years, continues to cover this story. Uh this is a major headline, a major development for many who wanted to see charges for three decades now.

[00:30:06]>> It certainly is. David, thank you for having me here. As has been said already, 30 years in the making. So this is quite unprecedented and especially for a government, a regime like Cuba's.

[00:30:19]No. And the question is that Dan brought up what happens next? No. Um will the regime will roll Castro be defiant? Is there already a planned in plan in place that we don't know about? These are all questions we got to think about. We got to think about the Maduro playbook.

[00:30:35]Circumstances are definitely different here. But for some of these people that I see in that audience today, some of them are relatives. Um, one of which I spoke to yesterday and you can see the smiles on their faces. They lost their loved ones. They lost their their sons.

[00:30:52]Um, so this is uh quite a day, a historic day for the Cuban exile community, not just here, but all over the world.

[00:31:01]>> Teresa, we have heard in recent months from President Trump a number of messages on Cuba. among the messages we have heard uh that there could be a friendly takeover in his words. He said there have been back channel talks uh if you will with Cuba but he's also indicated if it's not a friendly takeover that uh regardless it is time for leadership change there uh I know it's a hypothetical for you uh but it is hard to predict what this is going to look like what Cuba will look like in the months ahead weeks ahead perhaps.

[00:31:34]>> Oh it certainly is. But I will tell you this, the um the Cuban government, the Cuban regime is very aware of how politics work in the United States and timing of everything. So they know that if any action is going to take place, it's going to take place soon, >> sometime before the midterm elections.

[00:31:52]And I will also say that they do respect President Trump because after what happened with Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, they respect him a lot more and they take him seriously. and also things that are happening and falling into place as if you know the domino they're all falling into place. Today is the 20th. It is the day of the revolution. It's observed by the people outside of Cuba. It's a day that Cuba uh was freed from Spain, but obviously not observed in the island. Also the fact that Secretary uh Marco Rubio sent a very direct message today via X to the people in Cuba and this is the first time he's done it in Spanish where he's clarifying we are not responsible. The embargo is not responsible for this dire situation you are facing right now. Your government is responsible for this. And then he also made an appeal and he said, "This administration, this president wants to give you the opportunity to be able to speak freely without any fear of repercussions. This administration wants to give you the opportunity to know what it's like to have ownership, own your own property, your own businesses, and become become as prosperous as those Cubans who are living just 90 miles from your border." So, it was a very direct message. She also talked about the aid that they want to the humanitarian aid, the hund00 million they'd like to provide Cuba. Um, so it was a very direct message. Did they hear this? I hope they did. But a lot of things are happening and I think there's a bigger plan in motion here.

[00:33:30]>> Terresa Rodriguez, veteran journalist who has covered Cuba for many, many years. Our thanks to you right now.

[00:33:35]Florida's attorney general speaking after him. Todd Blanch will be back up at the microphone uh to take questions.

[00:33:41]And Teresa makes an excellent point that the Cuban people, but certainly the Cuban regime, the leadership of Cuba, very aware of politics in the US, uh, and how this works here, that with an announcement of an indictment and with the, uh, upcoming midterm elections uh, this year, of course, just a few months away, uh, that the dominoes could fall here uh, and fall rather quickly. I want to bring in Whit Johnson, who was just in Cuba, interviewed the foreign minister for us. We aired the interview on World News Tonight. uh with not only did you talk to the foreign minister, but you talked to people in the Cuban community who live there, the Cuban people, uh to to get their thoughts on the situation, the relationship between the US and Cuba. But I want to start with the foreign minister. Uh when you sat down across from him, was there a realization that change was coming uh through the legal process in this indictment uh and certainly the political pressure that's mounting given what the Trump administration is signaling here? Yes, David, I absolutely got the sense that Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez was feeling that additional pressure from the United States. And in fact, at the moment that we sat down, there was another round of sanctions that the United States imposed on Cuban. We've sort of seen this week after week. And this is just, you know, one more example of how the Trump administration is turning up that pressure. And if they're not going to get the Cuban government to go along and change on its own, they're trying to force that change. There were some interesting takeaways in my conversation with the foreign minister. One, he said that talks between the US and Cuba were showing no signs of progress whatsoever.

[00:35:12]He also said that they take the threats from President Trump seriously, but that there would be a bloodbath if the US tried to take military action, something similar to what we saw in Venezuela. and and I pressed the foreign minister if they were willing to negotiate on anything, if anything was on the table as it comes to demands from the United States, government economic reforms, the release of political prisoners, which he denied that Cuba even has. And we know that's not true based on numerous reports from human rights groups. Um, but he essentially said that Cuba was unwilling to talk about anything relating to its internal affairs. um and unwilling to take any responsibility for the current state of the suffering of the Cuban people. And David, I can tell you, I've been uh getting messages from people today. The situation is growing much more desperate. There's a lot of anticipation about what will come next, what the United States might do. Um I interviewed somebody who is sifting through the trash, looking for food, also looking for phone cables that perhaps they could sell on the black market. I heard from a family who said that the blackouts there are getting worse. They were 16 hours a day when I was there a couple weeks ago. Now they're 22 hours a day. And many more people are forced to cook their food by burning coal. Um they can't get fresh food. There are no markets open. They're they're using non-p perishable food items, you know. So, so people are forced to try to buy a carton of eggs when their monthly salary doesn't even cover that. So, so nothing is working and it absolutely feels like it's on the brink of collapse and people are desperate to know what comes next.

[00:36:45]David, really fascinating what uh your reporting here. You know, ABC News has been committed to covering the Cuban people for a very long time. It was a decade ago we took World News Tonight, the broadcast to Cuba, anchoring in an historic broadcast from there. And I remember at the time when I was traveling through uh Havana and other places, talking with the Cuban people, they were actually telling me at the time that many of them, and look at this, this is a culture frozen in time.

[00:37:10]You know, the cars are beautiful and uh it's something that you would see here in America, you know, at a vintage car show, an antique car show. Uh but they're there without parts. You know, this is because everything is frozen in time there. Todd Blanch now taking questions. Let's go and listen.

[00:37:24]>> 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. Well, I cannot explain or justify why now as opposed to two decades ago or 30 years ago when it happened. But 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.

[00:38:15]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 Ralph 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?

[00:38:55]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. 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 acting attorney general Todd Blanch taking questions. Pierre Thomas making news with his question there. How do you intend to get the 94y old Raul Castro brought back to the United States? Uh you heard Todd Blanch say this is not a show indictment. This is the real thing.

[00:40:02]there is a warrant for his arrest and he uh indicated that he would be brought back but could not say exactly how he would be brought back here. But the intention is to have him tried by a jury of his peers uh with this indictment stemming three decades after uh the shootown of those two planes carrying humanitarian aid that of course resulted in the deaths of four people, three of whom uh were Americans. Again, the major news today, an indictment unsealed. The Justice Department has just unsealed this indictment charging the Cuban the former Cuban president Raul Castro with murder for his alleged role in that 1996 shootown of those two planes carrying uh four people humanitarian aid. And again, three of the four uh were Americans. As I mentioned just moments ago, we have taken the broadcast to Cuba many times over the course of the last decade and more. At the time when I went 10 years ago, the Cuban people, 11 million or so, uh were making about $20 a month. Just about 5% uh had internet uh access to what the world was talking about. And even that was restricted. You saw, you know, more than a decade later with Johnson return to darkness. Uh now 22 hours a day uh in the dark with these energy blackouts and the blockade and now this indictment of Raul Castro. It would appear that both legally and politically uh things are changing in Cuba. Our coverage of this breaking development will continue ABC News Live, abcnews.com. And of course, I'll be back with the entire team for World News Tonight a little later today. I'm David Mure in New York. Until then, good day.

[00:41:34]>> This has been a special report from ABC News.