Thousands of Cubans Protest Against US Castro Indictment: ‘Viva Raul'

Thousands of Cubans gathered in front of the U.S. embassy in Havana on Friday morning to protest a decision to indict former President Raul Castro in the downing of two civilian airplanes 30 years ago.

The pro-government demonstration, which began shortly after sunrise on Havana’s waterfront, comes as Cuban officials rallied this week around the island’s revolutionary hero amid spiraling tensions with the United States.

Cuban authorities organized the rally, and participation was encouraged among state employees. Government workers in Cuba are often expected to attend official demonstrations, a common practice since the 1959 revolution.

The gathering reflected broader political mobilization that has characterized Cuban state ritual in recent weeks, including May Day observances on May 1, when state-organized rallies are traditional across the island.

The 94-year-old elder statesman was not present.

Castro’s Family and Officials Show Support

Cuban lawmaker Gerardo Hernandez, a national hero and former spy, conveyed a message on Castro’s behalf, stating the former leader would “remain at the forefront of the revolution, with one foot in the stirrup.”

Thousands of Cubans waved flags during the nearly hour-long rally beside a calm sea just 90 miles from U.S. shores, chanting “Viva Raul!” and “Patria o Muerte (Homeland or Death)!”

President Miguel Diaz-Canel and Prime Minister Manuel Marrero attended the rally, as did several of Castro’s family, including daughter Mariela Castro, son Alejandro Castro and grandson Raul Rodriguez Castro.

Rodriguez Castro, known in Cuba as “Raulito” or “El Cangrejo,” (“the Crab”) often serves as his grandfather’s bodyguard and met last week with CIA Director John Ratcliffe during a rare visit by a U.S. spy chief to Havana.

What Happened and Why Is Raul Castro Being Charged?

Cuba says Castro’s indictment on murder charges was based on “spurious” allegations designed as a pretext to invade as President Donald Trump‘s administration pushes to upend the island’s government.

The indictment, handed down Wednesday by a federal grand jury in Miami, charges Castro with murder related to the February 1996 downing of two civilian planes piloted by exiles from the organization “Brothers to the Rescue.”

Cuba argued the shootdown was justified. The island said the planes had repeatedly violated Cuban airspace more than 25 times between 1994 and 1996, and that it had formally notified the U.S. State Department, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the International Civil Aviation Organization about each violation.

The U.S. countered that the planes were conducting a legitimate mission in international waters.

State Rallies and Economic Discontent

Friday’s rally is one of several government-organized demonstrations in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Cuban authorities mobilized supporters for Armed Forces Day celebrations. Participation in state rallies has long been a feature of Cuban political life, with government positions often linked to attendance at official events.

Beyond the organized demonstrations, Cuba has seen persistent street-level activism tied to economic hardship, with protests calling attention to widespread blackouts and shortages of fuel, food and medicine.

How Cubans Are Coping With Daily Darkness

Cubans have endured daily blackouts since the start of the year after Trump cut off Venezuelan oil and threatened tariffs against countries like Mexico that once supplied oil to Cuba.

Last month, a Russian tanker carrying oil supplies reached the island for the first time in several months, providing temporary relief. Cubans received a few additional hours of electricity per day, up to six hours in some areas of Havana.

Trump called it a humanitarian gesture. The U.N. has criticized the U.S. blockade, saying it is causing a humanitarian crisis on the island.

But as those supplies ran out last week, Cubans took to darkened streets at night, banging pots and pans in peaceful protests known as cacerolazos.

One Havana resident told Newsweek the demonstrations had grown, particularly among families and vulnerable women with children. Power outages now stretched 24 to 48 hour, they said, far too long to recharge devices or preserve food.

Is Trump Going To Invade Cuba?

Reacting to the indictment, Trump said in a statement Wednesday: “America will not tolerate a rogue state harboring hostile foreign military, intelligence and terror operations just ninety miles from the American homeland.”

Trump has not ruled out military action in recent months to “take over” the Communist island, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called for systemic change in Cuba’s government.

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Timeline of US-Cuba tensions in 2026

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Since March, the U.S. has suggested it could seize a “weakened” Cuba after taking control of Venezuela’s oil exports, on which the island had become dependent. Fuel shortages have triggered cascading crises across the island: businesses, schools and public transport have shut down, and most essential services have ceased operating.

Cuban Invasion Response

The Cuban government has warned it would fight back against any U.S. military action taken against it, with President Miguel Diaz-Canel last month telling Newsweek in Havana the country was prepared for war.

On Monday, he again warned that any U.S. invasion would lead to “bloodshed.” U.S. intelligence officials told Axios that Cuba has acquired at least 300 attack drones from Russia and China in recent months.

China, Russia Back Cuba After US Indicts Raul Castro

Beijing and Moscow have separately condemned the U.S.’ indictment of Castro and voiced solidarity with the Caribbean nation amid Washington’s pressure campaign.

The U.S. must stop wielding the “big sticks” of judicial proceedings and sanctions and cease its threats of force against Cuba, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Thursday.

Guo said China opposes unilateral sanctions that lack basis under international law or approval by the United Nations Security Council.

Russia echoed China in a separate statement, strongly condemning what it called “gross interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state, intimidation, and the use of illegal unilateral restrictive measures, threats, and blackmail,” its Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a press conference.

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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 12:01 PM.