Cuba accuses US of using charges against Raul Castro to justify military threats
Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio has accused the United States of using recent criminal charges against former Cuban leader Raul Castro as a pretext for possible military action against sovereign states.
Speaking on the state television and radio programme 'Mesa Redonda' on Wednesday, Fernandez de Cossio warned that any attempt to act against Cuban officials on the island would face strong resistance.
“It must be clear that any attempt to use this excuse for an action against these comrades inside Cuba will meet fierce resistance from the Cuban people,” he said.
The comments followed the announcement by U.S. prosecutors of charges linked to the 1996 downing of two aircraft operated by the anti-Castro group Brothers to the Rescue over the Florida Straits, which killed four people.
Among those accused are Raul Castro and several former Cuban military and government officials, who U.S. authorities allege participated in planning and carrying out the operation.
Fernandez de Cossio defended Cuba’s actions, arguing that Havana acted to protect its sovereignty and airspace after repeated warnings to Washington about incursions by the organisation’s aircraft.
“It exercised the right to protect its airspace and the peace of the Cuban people,” he said. “Cuba repeatedly asked the government of the United States to take action, and it did not do so.”
He described the indictment as “an act of injustice” against officials he said were fulfilling their duty to defend the country.
“The comrades accused here in this indictment acted fulfilling a duty, the duty to protect the airspace, the homeland and the peace of Cubans,” Fernandez de Cossio said.
The deputy foreign minister also accused Washington of having a history of using legal accusations to justify intervention against foreign governments.
“This indictment carries an additional threat, since the United States has a known dark practice of using accusations like these to act militarily against sovereign states,” he said.
Relations between Havana and Washington have deteriorated further in recent months amid expanded U.S. sanctions and rising tensions over Cuba’s economic and political crisis.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
