Raul Castro indicted — is this step one toward regime change in Cuba?

May 22, 2026

The Trump administration indicted former Cuban leader Raul Castro, and there is growing talk that Cuba could be next for US-backed regime change.

  • Acting Attorney General Todd Blanch tied the indictment to Castro's role in the 1996 shootdown of unarmed humanitarian planes that killed four Americans.
  • Cuba is falling apart inside — many areas have had no running water or electricity for weeks, with people carrying water jugs from relief stations.
  • Trump said "Cuba is on our mind," and the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier is parked in the Caribbean as a clear message.
  • The likely playbook looks like Venezuela: squeeze the regime, push for a leadership swap, then send fuel and aid.
  • Old photos of Obama at baseball games with Raul Castro resurfaced, fueling criticism that past US engagement ignored Castro's history.

Outlook: Cuba looks closer to regime change than Iran, and Trump's pressure campaign appears to be escalating fast.

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