“We are convinced that Cubans will emerge victorious in their selfless and courageous struggle against these challenges, which lack both moral and legal justification, and that the country will unite even more around its historic leader, Raúl Castro,” reads the Russian diplomatic mission’s statement.

Furthermore, the attempts to fabricate accusations against this statesman and political figure, who enjoys great authority both in Cuba and abroad, are doomed to failure, the statement adds.

According to Moscow, the US accusations against Castro constitute an attempt to give an appearance of legitimacy to the pressure exerted on Havana with the clear objective of changing the power structure in Cuba.

“It seems that everything possible is being done to demonstrate the possibility of an armed intervention against Cuba. The parallels with the events of January in Venezuela are evident,” the text adds.

The day before, the acting U.S. Attorney General, Todd Blanche, formally announced a criminal indictment against the 94-year-old former Cuban president for conspiracy to murder U.S. citizens in connection with the 1996 downing of two Brothers to the Rescue planes.

In a separate statement, the U.S. Department of Justice indicated that Castro and five other officials could face the death penalty or life imprisonment if convicted on the charges.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel reacted on social media, stating that the indictment against his predecessor lacks legal basis and seeks to justify a potential U.S. military aggression against the Caribbean nation.

jdt/ro/gfa