The Cuban government accused the administration of Donald Trump of using the case of the downing of the planes belonging to Hermanos al Rescate —which occurred on February 24, 1996— to create a pretext for justifying a military intervention on the island, according to statements made during a television Round Table broadcast by the Cuban News Channel.
The accusation came days after the Department of Justice declassified an indictment against Raúl Castro and five Cuban military officials for the shooting down of those aircraft, which resulted in the deaths of four Cuban-Americans. The indictment was approved by a federal grand jury in Miami on April 23, 2026, and made public on May 20.
Miguel Ángel Moreno Carpio, an official of the International Law Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was the most explicit in drawing the historical parallel during the Round Table.
"What they intended to do on that February 24, 1996, and in the repeated flights prior to Cuba, was to provoke an incident that would lead to a military escalation against our country. Later, President Clinton would acknowledge that they presented him with two options: either a military attack on Cuba or sign the Helms-Burton law [...] What was done then is what the same forces from Florida want to provoke today. Another new incident, a plan for collective suffocation that would incite actions of the people in the streets, leading to a supposed humanitarian situation that would provoke a military intervention," stated Moreno Carpio.
The official also noted that reviving the case 30 years later "clearly signifies that we are witnessing an escalation and a significant effort to achieve what they have not accomplished: a strong escalation with a direct intervention from the United States in these matters."
The regime also questioned the chosen setting for the announcement: "It was presented at none other than the Tower of Freedom, in the heart of Miami, not in Washington where the Department of Justice is located," emphasized Moreno Carpio, interpreting it as a political act aimed at the Cuban exile community.
The Politico media outlet reported on May 19 that the Pentagon was developing military options against Cuba, ranging from airstrikes to a ground invasion, although Trump stated on May 21: "No. There will be no escalation. I do not think it is necessary."
Russia also accused Washington of preparing a military intervention against Cuba, joining the voices that rejected the accusation from the international community.
During the Round Table, Colonel Salustiano Ruiz del Real documented at least 25 violations of Cuban airspace by Brothers to the Rescue between 1994 and 1996, involving military-use Cessna 337 aircraft.
The president of the Civil Aviation Institute, Armando Daniel López, recalled that on February 24, 1996, Cuba had declared a NOTAM area for restricted military exercises, which was notified to all aviation authorities in the United States.
"At 3:17 PM that same day, aircraft N2506 reported that it was 11 miles from Havana and how beautiful it looked," López noted.
On May 22, around 250,000 Cubans gathered at the José Martí Anti-Imperialist Tribune in Havana, led by Miguel Díaz-Canel, to reject the accusation.
Starting this Saturday and until June 3—when Raúl Castro turns 95—the regime announced open forums across the country.
The hero of the Republic Gerardo Hernández Nordelo posed a rhetorical question that encapsulated the official position: "When are they going to prosecute and in which tower of freedom are they going to announce the trial against President Trump for giving the order to kill 200 people and destroy 57 vessels in international waters of the Caribbean and the Pacific without showing a single piece of evidence and not a gram of shame?"
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