MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said on Wednesday that he had “reactivated” a state investigation into the deaths of four Brothers to the Rescue pilots about 30 years ago at sea.
Mario de la Peña, Jr., Carlos Costa, Pablo Morales, and Armando Alejandre were flying in two unarmed Cessna 337 Skymaster light aircraft when the Cuban military shot them down on Feb. 24, 1996, records show.
“Several years ago, you know, a file was opened at the state level investigating this for possible state crimes,” Uthmeier said.
The state’s investigation was ongoing on Wednesday, according to Uthmeier. He added that the state and federal governments have a “great working relationship” under Gov. Ron DeSantis and President Donald Trump.
U.S. Reps. Mario Diaz Balart, Carlos Gimenez, and Maria Elvira Salazar, and U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody recently urged Trump to push to indict Raúl Castro for giving the order that resulted in the deaths of De la Peña, 24; Costa, 29; Morales, 29; and Alejandre, 45.
On the 30th anniversary, after a ceremony at the Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport, where Brothers to the Rescue reported three planes departed on Feb. 24, 1996, and only one returned, survivors José Basulto and Sylvia Iriondo also demanded Castro’s indictment.
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