US escalates pressure on Cuba with indictment of former president Raúl Castro on criminal charges

US prosecutors announced criminal charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro in the 1996 downing of civilian planes flown by Miami-based exiles as the Trump administration escalated pressure on the island's socialist government.

Thirty years after the shootdown of two small civilian planes belonging to a Cuban exile group, the US has indicted former Cuban president, Raul Castro, the country's defence minister at the time of the incident.

“Today, we are announcing an indictment, charging Raul Castro and several others with conspiracy to kill US nationals," Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche said in Miami at a ceremony to honour those killed in the shootdown. "Mr. Castro and the others are charged with additional crimes as well, including destruction of aircraft and four individual counts of murder."

The US has been escalating pressure on Cuba for months, blockading fuel deliveries and threatening military action. President Trump has promised to conduct a "friendly takeover" of the island unless Havana opens its economy to US investment and kicks out US adversaries.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump said US officials have been holding talks with Cuba's leadership.

"We're going to see, it's a failing nation. You see that it's falling apart. They have no oil, they have no money. It's a failing nation, so I just can't tell you that. But we're there to help. We're there help the families, the people."

Cuba's President Miguel Díaz-Canel condemned the indictment as a "political stunt" to justify military action against Cuba.

But analysts say the charges against 94-year-old Castro pose a real threat, following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to face trial in New York.