Cuba’s government says its border forces shot dead four people aboard a US-registered speedboat that entered Cuban territorial waters and opened fire on a patrol vessel. Six others on the boat were wounded and have been detained, officials said.
According to the Interior Ministry, the incident took place near Cayo Falcones off Cuba’s northern coast when a Cuban patrol approached the Florida-registered boat. The ministry claimed the speedboat’s occupants fired first, injuring the commander of the Cuban boat.
Cuba identified the ten passengers as Cuban nationals who had been living in the United States. The statement says several of the men were armed with assault rifles, handguns and Molotov cocktails and were allegedly involved in planning and supporting violent acts. One of the dead has been named, and the government says it is working to identify the others. A separate Cuban national was arrested on land and has reportedly confessed to coordinating the group.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said no US government personnel were involved and that Washington will conduct its own investigation to establish what happened and whether any of the individuals were US citizens or permanent residents.
The shooting adds to rising tensions between the United States and Cuba, which have seen strained relations due to sanctions and regional security issues
