FACTBOX-Who is Raul Castro, the Cuban leader facing a US indictment?

Former Cuban President Raul Castro, the ​94-year-old brother of revolutionary leader Fidel ​Castro, has been indicted by the United ‌States ​in connection with Cuba's deadly 1996 shootdown of planes operated by the group Brothers to the Rescue.

Here is a look at one of ‌the foundational figures of Cuba's communist-run government, and his lasting influence as the remaining unifying leader among those loyal to the 1959 Cuban revolution. REVOLUTIONARY BEGINNINGS

* Born in 1931, Castro was a key leader alongside ‌his older brother Fidel in the guerrilla war that toppled U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959 ‌and launched the country's communist revolution. * Castro served as his brother's defense minister for decades, building a powerful base within the military and Cuban state.

* Among his roles, Castro helped defeat the U.S.-organized Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and oversaw ⁠Cuba's ​overseas military interventions, particularly in ⁠Africa. POLITICAL RISE

* Castro began a political ascent when Fidel fell ill in 2006, serving as acting president and then ⁠formally becoming president in 2008. * Following Fidel's death in 2016, Castro remained the country's dominant political figure, bucking expectations ​that Fidel's absence would destabilize the communist-run government. A LASTING POWER BROKER

* Castro served as president ⁠until 2018. After stepping down, he retained the honorific title of "army general" and continued to wield significant influence within Cuba's Communist Party, ⁠armed ​forces and state institutions. * Current President Miguel Diaz-Canel is widely seen as relying on Castro's guidance for major decisions.

* In December 2025, Castro proposed postponing the Communist Party congress scheduled ⁠to choose Diaz-Canel's successor, citing the country's deep economic crisis. The party's Central Committee unanimously approved the move. * ⁠Castro appeared in ⁠public in Havana on May 1 for International Workers' Day. Wearing a military uniform, he marched alongside Diaz-Canel and other officials but appeared fatigued and had ‌to sit ‌down suddenly during the ceremony.

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