Miami Commissioner Calls for Justice as Cuban Conspirator Linked to American Deaths Relocates to FL

Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre, Jr., Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales, photo from hermanos.org

​Miami Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera led a resolution this week urging President Biden, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Governor Ron DeSantis, and Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to seek justice for the murders of four Brothers to the Rescue members: Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre, Jr., Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales.

The tragic event occurred on February 24, 1996, when two civilian planes operated by Brothers to the Rescue were shot down by Cuban military jets over international waters. The group, Brothers to the Rescue, was dedicated to rescuing Cuban refugees attempting to flee the island by sea, as well as dropping leaflets calling for freedom and democracy in Cuba. This brutal act resulted in the deaths of four American citizens and sparked international outrage.

In 1999, a U.S. federal indictment held 14 individuals, including Cuban spies and military officials, responsible for a conspiracy to down the planes. Among them was Lt. Col. Pardo Rodriguez, who helped facilitate the attack. Despite his involvement in the murders, Rodriguez recently entered the United States through the humanitarian parole program and now resides freely in Florida.

Commissioner Cabrera condemned Rodriguez’s presence in the U.S., stating, “Murderers and human rights violators should not be offered refuge in our great nation. Lt. Pardo Rodriguez helped facilitate the cruel killing of four American citizens and should be held accountable for this heinous act. It is an insult to the families of the victims, the Cuban-American community, and every freedom-loving American that this man be offered legal immigration status in this country and allowed to live freely.”

The resolution, passed by the Board of County Commissioners, calls for the prosecution of Rodriguez and all those involved in the conspiracy. Commissioner Cabrera’s legislation demands action from federal and state leaders, urging them to bring justice for the families of Costa, Alejandre, de la Peña, and Morales, and ensure those responsible for the murders are held accountable.

Brothers to the Rescue was a humanitarian organization formed in 1991, during a time of increasing Cuban exiles fleeing the Castro regime by sea. The group's mission to locate and rescue Cuban rafters was praised globally. However, the 1996 attack marked a dark turning point, as Cuban authorities falsely claimed the planes were violating Cuban airspace, despite evidence showing they were over international waters. The attack further strained U.S.-Cuban relations, with widespread calls for justice from the American public and Cuban exile communities.