Raúl Castro Appears at 95th Birthday Amid U.S. Indictment

Former Cuban President Raúl Castro made his first public appearance since being indicted by the United States, attending a ceremony at the Ministry of Interior in Havana on Friday. The event, which celebrated his 95th birthday, was attended by senior government officials and military leaders and broadcast on state television.

Castro, clad in his olive-green military uniform, arrived to a standing ovation, accompanied by his grandson and current Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel. The appearance came weeks after the U.S. Justice Department unsealed an indictment on May 20, charging Castro with conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, destruction of aircraft, and four counts of murder related to a 1996 incident. The indictment alleges Castro played a role in the downing of two unarmed civilian planes operated by the Miami-based exile group Brothers to the Rescue, an event that killed four men, including three U.S. citizens.

During the ceremony, President Díaz-Canel delivered a tribute praising Castro's decades of service, heroism, and dignity. He stated that Castro's courage and loyalty had made him a target for foreign intelligence services from an early age. Addressing the U.S....