Cuba Says Forces Killed Four on US-Registered Speedboat, Sparking Diplomatic Tensions
A maritime incident off Cuba's northern coast has resulted in the deaths of four individuals and wounded six others, sharply escalating tensions between Havana and Washington. Cuba's interior ministry stated that its border guards engaged a US-registered speedboat after it allegedly entered Cuban territorial waters near Cayo Falcones and opened fire on a patrol vessel, wounding its commander.
According to the Cuban government, all 10 people on board were Cuban nationals living in the United States. The ministry claimed they were armed with handguns, assault rifles, and improvised explosive devices, and that initial statements from the six survivors who were detained indicated they "intended to carry out an infiltration for terrorist purposes." An eleventh person was also arrested on land, accused of being part of the alleged plot. Cuba stated that most of the individuals had prior criminal records.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from Saint Kitts and Nevis, confirmed that no US government personnel were on the vessel. He described the event as "highly unusual" and stated that the US would conduct its own independent investigation to establish the facts, refusing to rely solely on information from the Cuban government. "We're going to find out exactly what happened, who was involved, and we'll make a determination on the basis of what we find out," Rubio said.
The incident prompted swift reactions from Florida lawmakers. Congressman Carlos Giménez, a Cuban-American, demanded an investigation into what he called a "massacre." Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a separate state-level inquiry, stating, "The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable."
This confrontation occurs against a background of heightened US-Cuba tensions, intensified by recent US actions to block oil shipments from Venezuela to the island and renewed pressure on Havana. The US Treasury also announced a slight easing of some transactions to support the Cuban people, adding an additional layer of complexity to the rapidly developing diplomatic situation. The incident coincides with the anniversary of a 1996 shootdown by Cuba of exile group planes, further inflaming historical grievances.