Tens of thousands rally in Havana against US indictment of Raúl Castro

The crush of marchers filling central Havana on May 22 turned a U.S. courtroom move into a street-level test of national resolve, with demonstrators chanting “Long live Raúl!” and casting the indictment of former Cuban president Raúl Castro as a prelude to renewed aggression. Truthout described crowds in the tens of thousands rallying to denounce the Trump administration’s case against the 94-year-old revolutionary leader and what protesters called U.S. threats to attack the island. ^[1]

The demonstration blended defense of Castro’s legacy with broader anger at Washington, as speakers and banners framed the charges as political retaliation rather than a late bid for justice. The turnout, while dramatic, offered little broader statistical context about how widely the sentiment is shared beyond the capital, where mass mobilizations have long been a hallmark of Cuban politics. ^[1]

The protest comes days after a rapid sequence of escalations. On May 20, U.S. prosecutors announced an indictment naming Castro and five others on murder and conspiracy charges tied to the Feb. 24, 1996 shootdown of U.S. civilian planes that killed four Americans. Supporters quickly moved to raise funds and rally public backing.

Diplomacy and intelligence maneuvering has also been part of the picture. The Guardian reported that CIA Director John Ratcliffe flew into Havana on May 14 for meetings that included Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro—Castro’s grandson—and senior government figures, a visit that preceded public reporting of the possible indictment. ^[2]