BY COMFORT OGBONNA
Cuban authorities said security forces killed four anti-government exiles and wounded six others on Wednesday after a Florida-registered speedboat entered Cuban waters and allegedly opened fire on a border patrol unit, escalating tensions between Havana and Washington.
According to Cuba’s Interior Ministry, the group arrived from the United States wearing camouflage gear and carrying assault rifles, handguns, homemade explosives, ballistic vests and telescopic sights. Officials described the operation as a planned infiltration for “terrorist purposes,” adding that some of the individuals had previously been wanted in Cuba for allegedly plotting attacks against the state.
The confrontation occurred near Falcones Cay, on Cuba’s north coast roughly 200 kilometers east of Havana. Cuban authorities said the speedboat came within one nautical mile of a channel before being approached by five members of a border patrol unit. The occupants of the vessel allegedly opened fire, wounding the commander of the Cuban patrol craft. Security forces returned fire, killing four of the attackers and injuring six others.
The wounded were transported for medical treatment, and an additional suspect was detained on Cuban territory in connection with the alleged plot. The Interior Ministry identified two of the detained men as Amijail Sanchez Gonzalez and Leordan Enrique Cruz Gomez, both previously wanted on suspicion of planning violent acts.
Four others were named as Conrado Galindo Sariol, Jose Manuel Rodriguez Castello, Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara and Roberto Azcorra Consuegra. Cuban officials also said another man, Duniel Hernandez Santos, had traveled from the United States to Cuba to assist the group upon arrival.
One of the deceased was identified as Michel Ortega Casanova, while authorities said the identities of the remaining three were still being confirmed.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters the incident was not a U.S. government operation and that no American personnel were involved. He said Cuban authorities had informed the United States about the clash, but that the U.S. Embassy in Havana would seek to independently verify the facts.
“We are going to have our own information on this, we are going to figure out exactly what happened,” Rubio said, noting that armed exchanges at sea are highly unusual.
The episode unfolded amid already heightened tensions between the two countries. The United States has blocked most oil shipments to the island in recent months, worsening Cuba’s energy shortages and increasing pressure on its Communist-led government. Earlier this year, American forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, removing a key ally of Havana and further shifting the geopolitical balance in the region.
Rubio reiterated his criticism of the Cuban government, describing the current situation as unsustainable and calling for dramatic change on the island.
Cuban exile communities, particularly in Miami, have historically opposed the government established by revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, who ruled Cuba for decades before his death in 2016. Armed efforts to overthrow the government date back to the failed 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, when CIA-backed exiles attempted to topple Castro’s administration. That operation ultimately strengthened Cuba’s ties with the Soviet Union and hardened hostilities with Washington.
While such armed incursions have become rare in recent decades, analysts say deteriorating economic conditions and energy shortages could embolden hardline opponents of the Cuban government. Florida officials expressed skepticism about Havana’s version of events and called for independent investigations.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said state prosecutors would open an inquiry in coordination with federal and local law enforcement partners. U.S. Representative Carlos Gimenez, whose district includes southern Florida, urged a federal investigation to determine whether any of the individuals involved were U.S. citizens or legal residents and to clarify the circumstances surrounding the confrontation.
As investigations proceed on both sides, the incident risks adding another flashpoint to the already fragile relationship between Cuba and the United States.
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