The Department of Justice plans to indict Raúl Castro, the 94-year-old former president of Cuba, as tensions escalate between the United States and the communist country. The indictment is expected to charge Castro over a 1996 incident when Cuba shot down American-operated humanitarian planes, sources told CBS News. Castro, the brother of the late Cuban communist revolutionary Fidel Castro, stepped down as the leader of Cuba in 2021, but he remains one of the most powerful figures in the country. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to The Daily Wire’s request for comment.  In February 1996, two small planes operated by Miami-based group Brothers to the Rescue, were shot down by a Cuban fighter jet. The planes, which carried four people searching for Cubans attempting to flee the communist country, were reportedly shot down outside of Cuban airspace. Four people were killed. On Thursday, the CIA also released images of Director John Ratcliffe during what appear to be face-to-face negotiations with leadership in Havana on Thursday. Havana, Cuba pic.twitter.com/7S7TtJPyf5 — CIA (@CIA) May 14, 2026 The Trump administration is pressuring Cuba as the communist nation experiences energy shortages after oil shipments were cut off from Venezuela. Cuba’s already bleak energy crisis worsened after the United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in early January and took control of Venezuelan oil sales. Venezuela, which shipped oil to American adversaries around the globe, had previously been Cuba’s main oil importer.   Maduro was captured by U.S. forces in a midnight raid on his compound after he was hit with multiple charges in the United States, including narco-terrorism. CIA Director John Ratcliffe told Raúl Castro earlier this month that President Trump is “prepared to seriously engage on economic and security issues, but only if Cuba makes fundamental changes.” President Trump argues that Cuba has developed close relationships with United States adversaries including China, Russia, and Iran. Trump also says that Cuba has provide refuge for American enemies, creating a national security risk.  Trump has publicly floated regime change and other aggressive actions toward Cuba. In March, he suggested the United States could pursue what he described as a “friendly takeover.” “It may be a friendly takeover,” Trump said. “They’re really in, they’re down to, uh, as they say, fumes. They have no energy. They have no money. They’re in deep trouble on a humanitarian basis.”