Washington brings charges against former Cuban President Raul Castro over an incident dating back to 1996

The United States officially accused former Cuban leader Raul Castro of murder and conspiracy in the case of shooting down two planes in 1996, in a move that critics saw as a potential pretext for a new military escalation under the administration of President Donald Trump, while Havana denounced what it described as accusations without a legal basis, amid American talk about a “new path” with Cuba and fears that the island would be the next target after Venezuela.