President Donald Trump's Department of Justice just signaled its broader plan after unveiling its latest indictment, according to one expert.
Melba Pearson, a former prosecutor in South Florida, said during a new episode of the Legal AF podcast that the indictment against Raúl Castro is unlikely to result in Castro's extradition, much less a trial. Even so, it revealed that the Trump administration seems to be chasing a bigger goal because of how the indictment plays politically.
The Trump DOJ indicted Castro on Wednesday for a 1996 airplane shootdown that killed four men, three of them American citizens. Trump accompanied the indictment by claiming that the U.S. would soon impose an embargo on the country, which is already suffering economically.
While the U.S. has indicted several leaders in the past, Pearson noted one key difference in Castro's indictment. Cuba does not have an extradition agreement with the U.S., which means it is unlikely Castro will ever be arrested like Saddam Hussein or Nicolás Maduro.
However, an indictment prevents Castro from leaving the country and using his assets, Pearson said. That points to the larger aims of the Trump administration.
"Castro's indictment is kind of following that same path, which then leads me to believe what the bigger plan is, which is something that has been stated quite plainly, a takeover of Cuba," Pearson said.
The Trump administration has been threatening to invade Cuba for months. Reports indicate Cubans are preparing for a U.S. invasion, and the Cuban government has been reportedly buying up drones in preparation for a conflict.
Pearson noted that the indictment of Castro may be a way for Trump to play to Cuban voters ahead of the midterms.
"They came out in strength in support of this president, and they're one of the most politically active voting blocs in the state of Florida," Pearson noted. "So this indictment is again looking at the timing ... this is a nod to the Cuban community."