"The US government has no legitimate authority or jurisdiction to make such accusations. This is a shameful political provocation, based on the manipulation of the incident that led to the downing of two aircraft in february 1996," Granma, the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Cuba, reported on 20/5, citing a statement from the Cuban government.

Former Cuban president Raul Castro. *Photo: Reuters*

The statement followed the US Department of Justice's announcement on 20/5 of an indictment against former Cuban president Raul Castro for charges related to the 1996 downing of two aircraft originating from Florida. The incident resulted in four deaths and a sharp decline in US-Cuba relations.

According to the Cuban government, the two aircraft were operated by the terrorist organization Hermanos al Rescate, based in Miami, Florida, and had repeatedly violated Cuban airspace with hostile intentions.

Havana stated that Washington distorted historical facts, overlooking many details, including formal complaints Cuba repeatedly sent to the US Department of State, the US Federal Aviation Administration, and the International Civil Aviation Organization, regarding more than 25 violations of Cuban airspace by Hermanos al Rescate between 1994 and 1996.

Cuba also accused the then-US government of ignoring official and public warnings from Cuban authorities, as well as warning messages directly conveyed to the US president about the seriousness and potential consequences of these violations.

"Cuba's response to the airspace violations was a legitimate act of self-defense, protected by the United Nations Charter, the 1944 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, and the principles of airspace sovereignty and proportionality," the statement read.

Cuba reaffirmed its commitment to peace and its determination to exercise its inviolable right to self-defense, as well as its unconditional and unwavering support for Raul Castro.

Cuban president Miguel Diaz Canel also wrote on X that the accusations made by the US Department of Justice lack legal basis and "add to the dossier Washington is building to justify military intentions against Cuba".

Raul Castro, aged 94, is the brother of the late leader Fidel Castro, and led Cuba's historic negotiations with former US president Barack Obama's administration in 2014, which led to the reopening of embassies and the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

In 2018, he stepped down as president of the Council of State, succeeded by Diaz-Canel. In 2021, he resigned as first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba to transfer power to Diaz-Canel.

Diaz-Canel stated in march that Raul Castro "remains the historic leader of the revolution, even without holding office" and still holds high prestige among the people through "historical recognition that no one can deny".

Duc Trung (According to AP, AFP, Granma)