Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the warrant on Monday, stating that the charges stem from Castro's actions as Cuba's defence minister when the two small twin-engine planes were shot down on February 24, 1996. The aircraft were operated by Brothers to the Rescue, a group that helps Cubans fleeing the country by air.
"Raul Castro ordered the murder of four Floridians in cold blood, and Florida will never stop pursuing accountability for that communist conspiracy," Uthmeier said in a news release. He named the victims as Carlos Costa, Pablo Morales, Mario de la Pena, and Armando Alejandre Jr., adding that the warrant was necessary to pursue justice three decades after the event.
The arrest warrant is the latest escalation in US pressure on Cuba's leadership, coming amid the Trump administration's broader efforts to weaken the Cuban government. In May, federal prosecutors unsealed a superseding indictment against Castro on charges including conspiracy to kill US nationals, destroying aircraft, and four counts of murder.
US Attorney Jason Reding Quinones expressed federal support for Florida's action. "We're committed to pursuing every lawful, prosecutable avenue to bring accountability, including parallel federal and state prosecutions," he said. "Our historic federal indictment laid the groundwork, and James [Uthmeier] and his team have now taken the important step of bringing charges under Florida law."
US authorities have said the planes were flying over international waters and received no warning before being shot down. Cuban officials have previously argued that earlier Brothers to the Rescue flights had breached Cuban airspace despite warnings to stay away.
Castro, now 95, served as Cuba's defence minister at the time of the attack. He became president in 2008 after his brother Fidel Castro stepped down, and remained in power until 2018. Despite retiring from the presidency, he and his family continue to wield influence in Cuba's government.
The Trump administration has tightened restrictions on Cuba, including imposing a de facto energy blockade in January by threatening steep tariffs on countries supplying oil to the island. Analysts say this has worsened Cuba's power shortages and economic difficulties. Only 40 percent of Cuba's oil is produced domestically, and additional sanctions have limited its state-run industries.