Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel rejected the U.S.' indictment of Raul Castro, calling the measure a "political action."
In a social media publication, Diaz-Canel said the accusation "reveals the arrogance and frustration felt by the representatives of the empire in the face of the unshakable resolve of the Cuban Revolution and the unity and moral strength of its leadership."
"This is a political action with no legal basis whatsoever, aimed solely at adding to the fabricated case file they are building to justify the recklessness of a military aggression against Cuba," he added.
According to the indictment, Castro was charged with conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, four counts of murder and two counts of destruction of aircraft. Other five people have been charged as well, including a fighter pilot involved in the operation.
The incident at the center of the indictment took place in 1996. Castro and his brother Fidel were accused of ordering the downing of planes operated by Brothers to the Rescue, a nonprofit that carried out missions to help Cubans who were fleeing their country.
The organization would search the Florida Straits for Cubans on rafts or makeshift boats trying to reach the U.S. It was operated by exiled Cuban-Americans out of Florida.
At the time, Cuban officials said that the downing of the planes was justified because they had violated the country's airspace. The two planes were shot down as they left the U.S. in February of the mentioned year, killing the four Cubans who were aboard. At the time of the incident, Raúl Castro was the defense minister of Cuba, the Associated Press recalled.
Fidel Castro said the military had "standing orders" to shoot down planes entering Cuban airspace and that no specific order was given by his brother in relation to the incident.
Elsewhere in the publication, Diaz-Canel said the "lies and manipulates the events" in question, calling the organization a "narco-terrorist organization."
"On February 24, 1996, Cuba acted in legitimate self-defense within its territorial waters, following repeated and dangerous violations of our airspace by well-known terrorists. The U.S. administration at the time had been warned on more than a dozen occasions, yet it ignored those warnings and allowed the violations to continue," he claimed.
The development comes as the U.S. continues putting pressure on Cuba, seeking either the removal of the Havana regime or to force it to open its economy and political system.
A recent classified intelligence report claims that the country acquired hundreds of military drones and could use them to attack U.S. targets.
The intelligence, Axios noted, says Havana has more than 300 drones and has begun discussing the possibility of using them to attack U.S. targets like the country's base in Guantanamo Bay, military vessels and potentially Key West, which is located less than 100 miles from the Cuban capital.
The outlet, however, said the intelligence could become a pretext for U.S. military action against the country.
Diaz-Canel also appeared to react to the development, saying that "threats of military aggression against Cuba from the largest power in the world are well-known."
"The threat itself is already an international crime. Should it materialize, it will provoke a bloodbath of incalculable consequences, plus its destructive impact for regional peace and stability."
