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Miriam de la Peña, mother of Mario Manuel de la Peña, one of the four Cuban Americans killed in the downing of the planes of Brothers to the Rescue in 1996, reacted with emotion and hope to the formal charges against Raúl Castro and five Cuban military members announced by the U.S. Department of Justice.
In an interview with journalist Tom Llamas from NBC Nightly News, Miriam described the moment as the beginning of a journey that her family has been seeking for three decades: "This moment marks the beginning. It is the first day we are on the path to justice, something we have been asking for 30 years. It is incredible that this is happening."
The victim's mother expressed that the families are "overwhelmingly hopeful and grateful" that their children are finally recognized as human beings who were murdered.
"The dictatorship extended its tentacles into international waters to kill American citizens, and that cannot be allowed," he stated.
When the journalist asked him if he trusted that Castro would face justice, his response was straightforward: "Right now, if I were Raúl Castro, I would be very worried. I believe he will eventually face justice. And if he dies before being able to appear before a U.S. court, you know he is charged with murder, which he got away with for 30 years."
Miriam also reflected on the contrast with previous administrations that, she said, ignored her family's case. "I feel different. I feel like a human being. Before, we were ignored. We are no longer ignored. Our children are not ignored. There were four innocent men trying to do good for society."
Regarding the Trump administration's decision to file charges, Miriam was emphatic: "I believe they are doing the right thing. If you kill American citizens, the United States needs to defend those citizens."
When talking about her son Mario, the mother recalled that he was born in New Jersey and never visited Cuba. "He was raised in freedom. He was raised to do good," she said, quoting the words he often repeated: "I don’t do anything wrong. I’m trying to save lives."
Mario Manuel de la Peña was 24 years old when he died on February 24, 1996. He was in his last semester at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, training to become a commercial pilot, and he was a volunteer for Brothers to the Rescue, an organization that rescued Cuban rafters in the Florida Straits.
The acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the charges at the Tower of Freedom in Miami, a symbol of the Cuban exile, coinciding with Cuba's Independence Day.
The accusation charges Castro and five military officials with conspiracy to murder American citizens, destruction of aircraft, and four individual counts of murder.
Among the key evidence is an audio recording from 1996 in which Castro orders: "Throw them into the sea when they appear; and do not consult those who have the authority."
Additionally, more than 10,000 pages of declassified FBI documents reveal the existence of an "Operation Venice," planned since February 13, 1996, indicating premeditation.
Miriam concluded the interview with a direct message to the former dictator: "Raúl Castro, you will receive what you deserve. You are being called out for what you are today. You are a murderer. In the United States, your rights will be respected, and you will serve a fair sentence if found guilty, of which I have no doubt."
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