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Updated 22 May 2026 - US prosecutors have filed charges against Cuba's former leader, Raúl Castro, over the 1966 shoot-down of two aircraft, escalating diplomatic friction amid severe energy shortages on the island.
US indictment targets Castro in historic case
Raúl Castro and five others face murder charges in the United States for the downing of two planes operated by the Cuban-American group Brothers to the Rescue, which killed four people-three of them American citizens. The incident occurred in 1966, but the case was only unsealed on Wednesday.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel dismissed the charges as a "political manoeuvre" lacking legal merit. In response, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio labeled Cuba a "national security threat" and suggested the prospects for a peaceful resolution between the two nations were slim.
Blackouts paralyze daily life in Havana
A near-total US fuel blockade has plunged Cuba into prolonged power outages, disrupting essential services and trapping residents in high-rise buildings. Ana Rosa Romero, a 70-year-old widow living on the 11th floor of Havana's Granma Dos housing complex, described the hardships of recent weeks.
"You can hardly go out. If you do, it's with the uncertainty of not knowing what's coming next. When will the power go out? When will it return? How many hours will we be without electricity?"
Ana Rosa Romero, Havana resident
Romero recounted sitting with her husband's body for hours during a blackout after his death, unable to move him until power was restored. With elevators frequently inoperable, she now rarely leaves her apartment, fearing the climb up 11 flights of stairs.
The building's superintendent, Juana Garcia, reported that nine residents with pacemakers avoid using the stairs due to the risk of being stranded without power. Others have been trapped in elevators for hours during outages. Garcia has spent six months manually pumping water to over 100 residents, many of whom are bedridden and rely on neighbors to carry water up darkened stairwells.
Housing crisis deepens amid fuel shortages
In Havana's Barrio Toledo, authorities are repurposing shipping containers into two-bedroom homes to address the city's acute housing shortage. Around 40 containers are being converted into dwellings with kitchens and bathrooms, though none are yet occupied.
Critics warn the metal structures will become unbearably hot during Cuba's summer, but foreman Orlando Diaz defended the project as a "well-ventilated, smart solution." Diaz, a self-described revolutionary, plans to join a government-organized march in support of Raúl Castro on Friday.
"The charges against Raúl are a vile lie. Why indict him but not Luis Posada Carriles?"
Orlando Diaz, foreman
Diaz referenced the late Cuban-American militant accused by Cuba of masterminding the 1973 bombing of a Cubana airliner, which killed 73 people. He dismissed concerns about potential US military action, citing Cuba's history of resistance.
Residents brace for escalating tensions
Romero, reflecting on the 2016 baseball game attended by Barack Obama and Raúl Castro at Havana's Estadio Latinoamericano, now contemplates the possibility of US military intervention.
"At my age, I know I'll die in Cuba. We've faced so much over the years. If we must face an invasion, we will."
Ana Rosa Romero
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly sought to pressure Cuba's communist government, demanding political and economic reforms-though specifics remain unclear. Proposals may include opening the economy to foreign investment and expelling Russian or Chinese intelligence operatives from the island.
