Cuba's former leader Raul Castro appeared at an Interior Ministry celebration in Havana, showed state television on Friday (June 5), in the elder statesman's first public appearance since his indictment on murder charges last month in the United States.

The Trump administration has accused the former defense minister of ordering Cuban military jets to shoot down planes operated by a group of Cuban exiles in 1996, a major escalation in Washington's pressure campaign against the island's communist government.

Castro, who turned 95 on Wednesday, was last seen in public a month ago during May 1 festivities in Havana, just prior to his indictment.

He had previously not been seen since January 15, when he appeared in a public ceremony in the capital paying homage to the 32 Cuban soldiers killed during the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

HAVANA, CUBA (JUNE 5, 2026) (CUBAN GOVERNMENT TV - Access all)

1. FORMER CUBAN PRESIDENT, RAUL CASTRO, GREETING ATTENDEES AT EVENT FOR HIS 95TH BIRTHDAY

2. ATTENDEES AT EVENT

3. CASTRO GREETING MILITARY OFFICIALS

4. MILITARY ATTENDEES APPLAUDING

5. CEREMONY IN PROGRESS ON STAGE

6. CASTRO ACCOMPANIED BY FAMILY MEMBERS AND CUBAN PRESIDENT, MIGUEL DIAZ-CANEL, APPLAUDING

7. DIAZ-CANEL SPEAKING AT LECTERN

8. CASTRO AND ATTENDEES SEATED AT EVENT

9. PEOPLE APPLAUDING

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CUBAN PRESIDENT, MIGUEL DIAZ-CANEL, SAYING:

"He (Raul Castro) means heroism, dignity, and he is a moral shield. He means having defeated several attempts to assassinate him because his courage and his loyalty made him from very early on a target of enemy intelligence services and of the mercenaries trained and financed by them. Raul is Cuba and Cuba is not to be messed with."

11. PEOPLE APPLAUDING

12. CASTRO SEATED IN FRONT ROW APPLAUDING

13. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CUBAN PRESIDENT, MIGUEL DIAZ-CANEL, SAYING [SOUNDBITE CONTINUES OVER ATTENDEES APPLAUDING]:

"Cuba does not provoke, attack, or challenge. We continue to bet on a climate of understanding with the United States on the basis of mutual respect, despite our differences, as it has been shown is indeed possible. However, if the homeland is attacked, we will respond in legitimate defence, and if they try to enter (the country), let there be no doubt, there will be a decisive and firm fight."

14. CASTRO GREETING OLYMPIC GRECO-ROMAN WRESTLING CHAMPION, MIJAIN LOPEZ

15. CASTRO RAISING LOPEZ'S HAND

16. MILITARY ATTENDEES AT EVENT

17. VARIOUS OF CASTRO HUGGING LOPEZ