The Cuban-American lawyer Willy Allen stated this Wednesday in CiberCuba that he has "no doubt" that somewhere in the Pentagon there is already a tactical group that has analyzed how to physically capture Raúl Castro in Cuba, in the context of the formal charges filed on May 20 by the Department of Justice against the former dictator for the downing of the Brothers to the Rescue planes in 1996.
Allen, interviewed by Tania Costa, was straightforward: "At this moment, this very night, there may be a special American tactical group heading to capture Raúl in Havana."
The lawyer explained that his speculation is based on rumors he has read about U.S. military surveillance of Cuba through satellites and drones, and on the logic that an active federal arrest warrant compels the military to plan execution scenarios.
"I imagine that right now, somewhere in the Pentagon, there is a tactical group that has sat down and considered how it would be done, where they believe Raúl is, what would be the best way to go after him, what would be the point of attack, how they would enter, and how they would exit," Allen detailed.
However, the lawyer himself acknowledged that the existence of the plan does not guarantee its execution. "The problem is when they will execute it or if they will execute it. That is the problem now."
Allen also warned that a military operation in Cuba would be considerably more complex than the capture of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, as there would be no internal collaborators in Havana equivalent to those who facilitated the operation on January 3. "I don't think we have a Delcy Rodríguez in Havana. I don't think we have a Diosdado (Cabello) in Havana."
The formal charges against Raúl Castro were announced this Wednesday, May 20, at the Freedom Tower in Miami and include charges of four homicides, destruction of civilian aircraft, and conspiracy to commit murder, all of which are offenses that carry the death penalty in U.S. Federal Court. The victims of the downing on February 24, 1996 were Armando Alejandre, Mario de la Peña, Carlos Costa, and Pablo Morales.
Allen added a personal dimension to the analysis, recalling the pain of his own family—nephews killed at Playa Girón, brothers-in-law imprisoned—to contrast decades of Cuban suffering with the apparent tranquility of the regime's leaders. "I suspect that these figures in Cuba have always slept well, but today they will not sleep well."
The lawyer also pointed out the symbolic significance of the date. "On May 20, 1902, the American government handed over the government of Cuba to the Cubans. On May 20, 2026, the American government charged Raúl Castro with murder. I see it as a positive development."
In April, media outlets such as USA Today reported that the Pentagon may have been planning military options for Cuba in case President Trump ordered an intervention, although those reports were never officially confirmed.
Allen closed with a reflection that captures the historical weight of the moment. "I would like those who have caused so much harm not to die peacefully in their beds. They should know that there are consequences for the crimes they committed."
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