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Students in Florida's public schools will learn starting next school year about the federal charges filed in the United States against Raúl Castro for the downing of two planes belonging to Brothers to the Rescue in 1996, following the Florida State Board of Education's approval of a modification to the social studies standards.
According to information from Tampa Bay Times, the amendment includes the case of the former Cuban leader in the curriculum on the history of communism, an initiative promoted by the state in recent years to teach students about the effects of communist regimes and their key historical episodes.
The decision was made without public debate during the meeting of the State Board of Education and updates the standards to include the charges brought in May by the U.S. Department of Justice against Raúl Castro and five other Cuban military personnel for the downing of two civilian aircraft from the organization Brothers to the Rescue on February 24, 1996.
In that attack, carried out by fighters from the Cuban Air Force over international waters of the Florida Straits, pilots Armando Alejandre Jr., Carlos Costa, Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales were killed.
The federal indictment accuses Castro of conspiracy to assassinate U.S. citizens, destruction of aircraft, and four counts of homicide. Among the evidence cited by the prosecution is an audio recording in which the then Minister of the Armed Forces allegedly ordered: "Take them down in the sea when they appear."
At 95 years old, Raúl Castro remains beyond the reach of U.S. justice as there is no extradition treaty between Cuba and the United States, although the accusation labels him a fugitive and includes penalties that could lead to life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Florida's interim Education Commissioner, Paul Burns, presented the change as a routine update to academic standards, noting that the state periodically reviews its content to incorporate recent events. As an example, he mentioned the amendment made in February to include the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces.
The new content will be taught during the 2026-2027 school year.
Florida approved its curriculum on the history of communism in 2025, in accordance with the SB 1264 law promoted by Governor Ron DeSantis, which expanded mandatory education on the impact of communist regimes in various parts of the world.
Since then, the state has progressively incorporated new events related to Cuba and Venezuela, consolidating one of the most comprehensive educational programs on communism in the country.
The initiative has not been without criticism. Academics like Eduardo Gamarra, a professor at Florida International University (FIU), have questioned whether the standards introduce an ideological perspective on history and favor a particular interpretation of the Cold War over a critical analysis of the events.
In contrast, Republican leaders have defended the measure as a tool to preserve historical memory. Following the accusation against Raúl Castro, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier stated that "there can be no future for a free Cuba while the Castros and their criminal band of thugs remain in power."
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