The United States is moving to indict Raúl Castro, the former Cuban president, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to Fox News Digital.
The potential charges against Castro, 94, come after CIA Director John Ratcliffe met Thursday with counterparts from Cuba’s Ministry of the Interior during a high-level visit to the island nation.
CBS News first reported on the potential charges.
Raúl Castro is the younger brother of longtime Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who died in 2016.
Castro is reportedly being indicted in connection with the downing of planes 30 years ago, US officials familiar with the matter told CBS News.
The indictment, which would require approval from a grand jury, would center on Cuba’s deadly 1996 shootdown of planes operated by the humanitarian group Brothers to the Rescue, according to the report.
During his meeting Thursday, Ratcliffe met with Cuban officials including Raulito Rodriguez Castro, Interior Minister Lazaro Alvarez Casas and the head of Cuban intelligence services in Havana to “personally deliver President Trump’s message that the United States is prepared to seriously engage on economic and security issues, but only if Cuba makes fundamental changes.”
A CIA official told Fox News that Ratcliffe and Cuban officials discussed intelligence cooperation, economic stability and security issues, all against the backdrop that Cuba can no longer be a safe haven for adversaries in the Western Hemisphere.
Ratcliffe also stressed that the Trump administration was offering a genuine opportunity for cooperation and that Trump should be taken seriously, sources said.
Earlier this month, Trump joked during remarks at the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches in Florida that the US would be “taking over” Cuba “almost immediately.”
“Cuba’s got problems. We’ll finish one first. I like to finish a job.”
The Trump administration has recently expanded sanctions targeting countries and companies that do business with Cuba, particularly oil suppliers, increasing pressure on Havana amid fuel shortages and widespread power outages.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Justice for comment.
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