Re-writing History and the Indictment of Raul Castro

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/5/20/cuba_raul_castro_peter_kornbluh

https://thegrayzone.substack.com/p/the-us-indicted-raul-castro-for-deterring

The recent indictment by the Trump Justice Department of Raul Castro relies on a false narrative. Basically they're asserting that these innocent humanitarian planes were shot down over international waters and as such Castro is guilty of conspiracy and murder. If it only it were that simple.

And why is this indictment being handed down now?

As Defense Minister, Castro did order the 1996 shoot-down of two American-based Cessna Skymasters. This is undisputed. The Trump Administration and the Right portrays these Brothers to the Rescue planes as guilty of nothing more than humanitarian work. In other words they were innocent and Cuba's motives were purely vindictive and murderous and completely out of line given the fact that the planes were shot down around ten miles outside of Cuban waters.

This narrative ignores the larger context connected to Jose Basulto - the leader of the operation who was on the third plane - which survived. Basulto was a CIA asset involved in sabotage and assassination operations within Cuba and was well known to the Castros. He had violated Cuban territory on many occasions - starting with the Bay of Pigs invasion some thirty-five years earlier. Though few Americans are aware of it, the US continued for decades to launch terroristic strikes against Cuba, targeting buildings (from hotels to embassies) and other infrastructure, sabotaging crops and industrial facilities, shooting down aircraft, kidnapping, and repeated assassination attempts against Fidel Castro and others. Needless to say the activities of these CIA-backed groups also overlap with the Italian mafia as well as narco-trafficking gangs and other paramilitary operations from Nicaragua to Angola. The tale is long and extensive.

The downing of these aircraft may be unfortunate and tragic in terms of the surviving family members, but these were not men on a humanitarian mission. They were operatives that had pushed Havana too far. If the tables were turned and these men were pulling such shenanigans off the American coast - they would have been shot down and identified as 'terrorists'. It's that simple.

The Castro government decided enough was enough and shot them down. I don't defend their actions but I don't believe the United States has any moral standing to either criticize or demand justice.

Why is this indictment coming now? Has it taken thirty years to put a case together? Is it simply because Trump is the president courageous enough to make the move?

The case itself is dubious and everyone knows it. Raul Castro may be an evil man and worthy of criminal charges but this incident is not the one any international lawyer would choose. Rather it's one the US Justice Department has employed as a cover for future US military operations. This explains the timing.

Trump cannot launch a full invasion without Congressional support. He can however launch strikes and/or some kind of special forces assault if it's disguised as a law enforcement action. That's what this is about. The Maduro kidnapping was a success but he wants to make sure any action against Cuba has its bases covered - all the more with mid-term elections looming.

The United States has obviously been negotiating with key players in the Cuban government. Trump seems to be looking for a soft regime change akin to Venezuela. He wants to take out the figure-head, the symbol of resistance, and thus claim 'victory' even while leaving cooperative members of the existing regime in place. This is what has been negotiated. After sixty-plus years of sanctions, the US can't just walk away and cut a deal with what is still viewed as the Castro regime.

Or to be more specific a Republican president relying on a Cuban-exile base cannot just 'make peace', lifting sanctions and leaving a now acquiescent Castro regime in place. Instead if the remaining Castro is removed, then victory can be declared even if the same people are running the country. It's the kind of farce we're all used to with Trump.

The difference will be this - the Cuban leadership has largely given up and are willing to cooperate with Washington. They will retain power and Cuba gets the energy supplies it needs to get the lights turned back on.

So in other words it's yet another case of smoke and mirrors.

Will American Christian leaders avail themselves of this information and tell the truth? Or will they simply spin the history in favour of Trump's policy and actions? Will they provide cover for his criminality and murder? Given what we've already seen the answer is pretty clear. And for many of them, the end justifies the means and the toppling of the still extant elements of the Castro regime is worth any deceit. Victory is all that matters.

But the irony is that with Trump - you just get more deceit. He removed Maduro from Venezuela but did not remove the regime. We look for the same in Cuba should Trump decide to make his move.

One is reminded of Reagan's retreat from Lebanon. After the Beirut embassy was bombed in April 1983 and the Marine barracks in October, Reagan was looking for an exit. The spectre of Vietnam still loomed large. Just two days after the barracks were hit, Reagan launched an invasion of Grenada in order to combat the 'threat' of a communist regime. It was a distraction and most of us knew it at the time.

Trump may use a Cuba operation in a similar fashion in order to distract from his failures and capitulations with regard to Iran.

And while the soldiers are praised at events like the State of the Union, the truth is they are throw-aways. The people in power couldn't care less about them. In fact they despise them and treat as worthless - expendables living only to serve the masters making their move on the geopolitical chess board. And obviously any civilians who are killed are not even worth consideration.

And again, we have and will continue to witness Evangelical leaders defend and even praise these blood-soaked deceitful operations. They may praise Christ with their lips but it's clear they do not know Him.

See also:

https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2026/04/whitewashing-us-aggression-in-cuba-and.html