HIALEAH GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) – Congress members from Florida added their voices to the rising chorus of calls for justice in Cuba as an agonizing anniversary of a deadly plane shootdown approaches.
Next Tuesday, Feb. 24, marks 30 years since Cuban military fighter jets shot down two, unarmed small planes in the Florida Straits, killing three American citizens and one legal U.S. resident.
“Those four individuals were murdered in cold blood,” said U.S. Rep. Díaz-Balart, R-Fla.
Those on board were working with Brothers to the Rescue, an organization flying humanitarian missions, looking for Cuban rafters fleeing the island for a chance at freedom.
None of the four men’s bodies were ever recovered.
“And now we’re talking about 30 years of zero accountability. That has to end,” said Díaz-Balart.
As the anniversary inches closer, three South Florida members of Congress are calling for the Trump administration to indict former Cuban leader Raúl Castro, saying he’s the one who gave the order.
“Yeah, it was 30 years ago, but there is no statute of limitations, said U.S. Rep. Carlos Giménez, R-Fla.
Standing alongside family members of the victims in Hialeah Gardens on Thursday morning, Díaz-Balart, Giménez and U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar echoed loved ones’ calls for justice seen in a letter sent to the President Donald Trump: It reads in part:
“We respectfully request the Department of Justice consider indicting Raúl Castro, who is responsible for the cold-blooded murders…”
The parents of victim Mario de la Peña, Mario and Miriam, agree with the lawmakers.
“Yes, [Raúl Castro] is a criminal — he should be indicted,” said de la Peña’s father.
“I would like to see anybody who commits such a crime indicted and serve prison for murder,” said Miriam.
Their push Thursday also coming as news publication Axios reports that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is holding secret talks with Castro’s grandson.
While the context of the supposed secret talks is unclear, Díaz-Balart, Giménez and Salazar expressed their support.
“If there is one person that I would want to talk to the regime, it’s Marco Rubio,” said Giménez.
“We are with them, and the Trump administration and Marco Rubio is at the helm,” said Salazar.
As for why they’d never sent the letter before, the lawmakers said that there is now political willingness that they didn’t feel they had in past years.
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