The US government has declared an official state of emergency regarding Raul Castro.

The long-standing political coldness and mutual hostility between Washington and Havana have entered a new, more dangerous phase, Zamin.uz reported.

The U.S. government has officially imposed criminal sanctions on Raúl Castro, the former leader of Cuba and one of the key symbols of the revolutionary movement, according to reliable sources within the U.S. administration cited by the influential Reuters news agency.

So far, White House officials have not disclosed the specific charges under which sanctions are being applied against the former commander. However, according to written statements from U.S. intelligence agencies, this criminal case is linked to a tragic incident that occurred nearly thirty years ago.

Specifically, in 1996, Cuban Air Force jets shot down two civilian aircraft belonging to a Cuban exile organization based in the United States. At the time, these planes were engaged in search-and-rescue operations for rafters stranded at sea.

The attack resulted in the deaths of four people. International analysts believe that the sanctions now being imposed on Raúl Castro, who oversaw the country’s defense system at the time, are directly related to this event.

Raúl Castro, together with his brother Fidel Castro, carried out the famous Cuban Revolution of 1959 and established a new regime on the island. For many years, he held the highest positions in both the state and military structures.

In 2006, due to his brother’s declining health, Raúl assumed control of the government and officially led the country until 2018. After that, he transferred power to a new generation of leaders and retired from public life.

However, following the return of the Donald Trump administration to power in the U.S., political and economic pressure on the Cuban government has intensified. In particular, strict fuel embargoes against the island nation have been in effect since the beginning of 2026.

Today, the Biden administration is openly seeking to change the current Cuban government led by Miguel Díaz-Canel. The sanctions announced against Raúl Castro are viewed as the peak of diplomatic escalation between the two countries.

This situation could have serious implications for political stability in the region.