Cuba’s government has stated that a speedboat, which was targeted by soldiers, was engaged in acts of ‘terrorism’ and had initiated gunfire first. The government disclosed this information late on Wednesday, February 25, asserting that the passengers on the boat had fired upon its border officials. This declaration followed an earlier announcement by Cuba that its soldiers had shot and injured six individuals while killing four others in the incident.
The speedboat, reportedly registered in Florida, was accused by Cuba of breaching its waters and initiating gunfire against the soldiers, resulting in an injury to a Cuban officer.
According to reports by The Associated Press, Cuba’s government claimed that the majority of the ten individuals on the boat had previous involvement in criminal and violent activities. Two of the passengers, Amijail Sánchez González and Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, were identified as wanted by Cuban authorities for their roles in supporting or carrying out terrorist actions.
Duniel Hernández Santos was apprehended by the government, with allegations that he was sent from the United States to facilitate the armed infiltration. He has reportedly confessed to his involvement in the incident. However, The Associated Press noted its inability to independently verify this information immediately.
The passengers’ identities were provided by detained suspects following the confrontation, with seven out of the ten individuals, including Conrado Galindo Sariol, José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló, Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara, and Roberto Azcorra Consuegra, being identified. Cuba’s government confirmed that one of the deceased was Michel Ortega Casanova, while the remaining three passengers have yet to be identified.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged being informed about the situation and mentioned that efforts were underway to ascertain if any of the victims were American citizens or permanent residents. Rubio emphasized that the US government was conducting its investigations to gather additional information beyond what had been provided by Cuban authorities.
While attending a regional summit with Caribbean leaders in Basseterre, St. Kitts, Rubio refrained from speculating on the incident, citing the need for a comprehensive understanding of the situation before drawing conclusions. He emphasized that the US would not solely rely on the information provided by Cuban authorities.
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