Statement of the Embassy of Cuba to Bahamas
The Embassy of the Republic of Cuba to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas strongly condemns the despicable accusation against Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, leader of the Cuban Revolution, put forward by the United States Department of Justice, announced on May 20 and proclaimed for several weeks. This constitutes yet another political provocation, entirely lacking legal basis and aimed at constructing arguments to justify a policy of greater confrontation against the Cuban nation.
The Government of the United States lacks the legitimacy and jurisdiction to carry out this action. It is based on the dishonest manipulation of the incident that occurred in February 1996, which led to the downing, within Cuban airspace, of two aircraft operated by the Miami-based terrorist organization “Brothers to the Rescue.”
Furthermore, the Government of the United States distorts other historical truths about the event it uses as a pretext. It omits, among other details, the numerous formal complaints filed by Cuba during that period with the State Department, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), regarding more than 25 serious and deliberate violations of Cuban airspace committed by the cited organization between 1994 and 1996, in blatant transgression of international law and U.S. legislation itself.
The accusation against the leader of the Cuban Revolution is not an isolated episode but rather part of a broader pattern of actions aimed at discrediting the country’s political leadership and undermining national unity and stability. It adds to the desperate attempts by anti-Cuban elements to construct a fraudulent narrative in a effort to justify a collective and ruthless punishment against the noble Cuban people through the strengthening of unilateral coercive measures, including the energy blockade and threats of armed aggression.
In recent months, there has been an unprecedented escalation in the measures adopted by the Government of the United States against Cuba, with the objective of worsening the economic and social difficulties faced by the country.
Cuba reaffirms its commitment to peace, the defense of its sovereignty, and respect for the principles recognized in the Charter of the United Nations, including the legitimate right of States to preserve their security and territorial integrity.
Nassau, May 22, 2026.