# Cold War History

Cold War Echoes: The Judicial Weaponization of the 1996 Brothers to the Rescue Incident

The U.S. Department of Justice has indicted 94-year-old Raúl Castro over a 1996 shootdown of civilian aircraft, a move that signals a pivot toward using domestic criminal law as a tool for diplomatic pressure. While the legal execution of the case is unlikely due to lack of extradition, the indictment serves as a potent political instrument to mobilize Florida voters and delegitimize the Cuban government.