MIAMI (AP) - The chief federal prosecutor in Miami is contemplating criminal investigations targeting officials within the Cuban government, as revealed by sources familiar with the situation. This inquiry aligns with President Donald Trump’s recent suggestions regarding a potential “friendly takeover” of Cuba, a nation governed by a communist regime.
Jason Reding Quiñones, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, has established a working group. This group encompasses federal prosecutors, officials from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and personnel from other agencies aimed at constructing cases against individuals associated with the Cuban government and its Communist Party. Details regarding which officials are under scrutiny or which specific charges may be pursued remain unclear.
In a statement, the Justice Department affirmed that “federal prosecutors from across the country work daily to pursue justice, including efforts to combat transnational crime.” This statement underscores the seriousness with which the authorities are treating the situation against the backdrop of Trump’s escalating confrontational strategy towards Cuba’s communist leadership.
Last month, President Trump, emboldened by what he described as the U.S. capture of Cuban ally Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, disclosed high-level engagements with Cuban authorities. He mentioned plans for a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, reiterating this sentiment in recent days, stating that attention will return to Cuba following developments related to Iran.
Trump commented, “They want to make a deal so bad,” referring to the leadership in Cuba. Despite Cuba’s diminished prominence as a national security threat in recent decades, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Miami remains engaged, primarily due to the political, economic, and cultural dominance of the Cuban-American community in the region.
The FBI’s Miami field office maintains a dedicated Cuba group, which played a pivotal role in the 2024 arrest of former U.S. Ambassador Victor Manuel Rocha on charges linked to serving as a secret agent for Cuba since the 1970s. In recent weeks, various Miami Republicans, alongside Florida Senator Rick Scott, have urged the Trump administration to renew its criminal investigation into the 1996 shootdown of four planes operated by anti-communist exiles.
A letter directed to Trump on February 13 from lawmakers, including Reps. Maria Elvira Salazar and Carlos Gimenez, called attention to historical news reports suggesting that former President Raúl Castro, who headed Cuba’s military at that time, ordered the downing of unarmed Cessna aircraft. Lawmakers proclaimed, “We believe unequivocally that Raúl Castro is responsible for this heinous crime. It is time for him to be brought to justice.”
Although no formal indictment has been announced against Castro, Florida’s attorney general recently indicated a state-level investigation would commence into the crime. Additionally, the Trump administration has accused Cuba of failing to cooperate with U.S. counterterrorism efforts, thereby placing it alongside North Korea and Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism.
This designation arises from Cuba’s harboring of U.S. fugitives and its refusal to extradite several Colombian guerrilla leaders during their peace negotiations with Colombia.
