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Why did the Cuban government shoot down two Brothers to the Rescue planes in 1996?

In an exclusive interview, Belly of the Beast journalist Liz Oliva Fernández speaks with René González, an intelligence agent and member of the Cuban Five who flew Brothers to the Rescue planes in the early 1990s.

González recounts how he infiltrated the group, what he witnessed from the inside, and why he believes Raúl Castro's indictment over the shoot-down is a made-in-Miami pretext to justify an invasion.

Also this week:

Foreign Investors Flee Sanctions, Not Communism
Trump’s Policy Hits Cuban Families
The Deadly Toll of U.S. Sanctions
Cuba Welcomes Critics Into Reform Debate
Bacardi Loses Havana Club Appeal
How a Daughter’s Love Inspired Alzheimer’s Research

Why Did Cuba Shoot Down Two Planes in 1996?

On February 24, 1996, Cuban fighter jets shot down two Brothers to the Rescue planes, killing four people. Thirty years later, the U.S. Justice Department has indicted former Cuban president Raúl Castro for his alleged role in the incident.

The indictment rests on the premise that Cuban authorities conspired to "attack" civilian aircraft.

But René González — one of the Cuban Five, a group of operatives who were sent undercover to South Florida to monitor terrorist groups — says that narrative ignores the history of the organization and the men behind it.

In an exclusive interview with Belly of the Beast journalist Liz Oliva Fernández, González reveals how the CIA-trained leader of Brothers to the Rescue continued to endorse terrorism despite publicly claiming he had renounced violence.

González would know. After infiltrating Brothers to the Rescue, he flew their planes, dropping smoke bombs and flares just outside Havana.

“The history of the activities of Brothers to the Rescue forced Cuba to defend itself,” he said. “Their actions were escalating and pointing toward violence. When we’re talking about trying to buy a fighter jet or testing anti-personnel weapons to be dropped in Cuba, you ask yourself, how long does Cuba have to keep giving in?”

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Foreign Investors Flee Sanctions, Not Communism

After Trump signed an executive order on May 1 threatening sanctions on anyone doing business in Cuba, companies from Canada, Spain, France, Germany and Australia fled the island.

So who benefits when foreign investors leave? Belly of the Beast journalist Yohan Rodríguez breaks down how U.S. sanctions are driving out foreign investors — and creating new opportunities for Trump's allies. Watch the video HERE.

Trump’s Policy Hits Cuban Families

The fallout from Trump's May 1 executive order is continuing to ripple across Cuba — and increasingly, into the homes of ordinary people.

EnviosCuba, one of the largest online platforms used by Cuban Americans to send food, clothing and other basic necessities to relatives on the island, has stopped accepting new orders. The company announced the suspension just days after the deadline for businesses to sever ties with entities linked to GAESA, Cuba's military-run conglomerate.

As the Trump administration continues to tighten the screws on Cuba, another lifeline for many Cubans has been severed.

The Deadly Toll of U.S. Sanctions

The story of Cuba's energy crisis is often told through statistics about megawatts and barrels of oil. But for many Cubans, its effects are measured in missed treatments, empty pharmacy shelves and growing uncertainty about whether lifesaving medicines will be available when they are needed most.

Childhood cancer survival rates have fallen from 85% to 65%, nearly 3,000 dialysis patients have faced disruptions in treatment and 300 of the country's 395 essential medicines are now unavailable, according to a recent report in Cuban state media outlet Cubadebate. More than 100,000 children have also lost access to the daily milk ration previously provided by the state.

Meanwhile, restrictions on trade and financing are also affecting the import of raw materials needed to manufacture medicines domestically, further straining an already fragile healthcare system.

Cuba Welcomes Critics Into Reform Debate

Earlier this week, Cuba's President Miguel Díaz-Canel formed an advisory committee on economic reform that included three well-known economists — Omar Everleny Pérez Villanueva, Juan Triana Cordoví and Julio Carranza — who have spent years publicly criticizing official policy, according to EFE.

Cuba’s National Assembly approved on Thursday a package of economic reforms to decentralize the economy, expand opportunities for private enterprise and encourage investment from Cubans living abroad. Díaz-Canel indicated the changes were inspired by the experiences of China and Vietnam, where market-oriented reforms were introduced while maintaining socialist political systems.

Bacardi Loses Havana Club Appeal

A federal appeals court this week rejected Bacardi's latest attempt to strip the Cuban state-owned company Cubaexport of the U.S. trademark for Havana Club rum, handing Cuba a legal victory in a dispute that has lasted decades. The court upheld the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s decision to renew Cubaexport’s trademark in 2016, rejecting Bacardi’s challenge.

How a Daughter’s Love Inspired Alzheimer’s Research

Teresita's Dream follows a Cuban scientist as she searches for an Alzheimer’s treatment after watching her mother battle the disease. The film is a story of love, scientific innovation and perseverance against the odds.

In this video, Belly of the Beast's Daniel Montero, who directed Teresita's Dream, shares what inspired him to tell this story.

Watch Teresita’s Dream HERE.

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