CNN Español —
Four people died Wednesday in a confrontation between occupants of a Florida-registered speedboat and Cuban Border Guard Troops, according to a statement from the Cuban Ministry of the Interior.
Six other people aboard the vessel, which departed from Florida, were injured and are receiving medical care, officials said.
The incident occurred when Cuban authorities detected the speedboat had entered Cuban territorial waters near Cayo Falcones, in the province of Villa Clara, approximately 110 miles from the United States.
According to the Ministry, Cuban Border Guard Troops approached the boat to identify it and were fired upon by those on board.
A shootout ensued, and the commander of the Cuban vessel was also injured, the Ministry stated.
CNN has reached out to the Cuban Ministry of the Interior for further information regarding the incident and the nationalities of those involved. A request for comment has also been sent to the U.S. Department of State.
Following news of the incident, the Cuban presidency said on social media that the country “reaffirms its will to protect its territorial waters, based on the fact that national defense is a fundamental pillar for the Cuban State in favor of protecting its sovereignty and stability in the region.”
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said on social media he has directed his office to “collaborate with our federal, state, and law enforcement partners to initiate an investigation.”
“The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything possible to hold these communists accountable,” he added.
Republican Congressman Carlos A. Giménez, representing Florida’s 28th congressional district, called for an “immediate investigation into this massacre” on Wednesday.
He said on X, “U.S. Authorities must determine if any of the victims were U.S. Citizens or legal residents and establish exactly what occurred.”
The incident comes amid escalating tensions between Cuba and the United States. The U.S. Has maintained an economic embargo against Cuba since the 1960s and has recently increased pressure on the island, threatening to impose tariffs on countries that supply it with petroleum. Cuba views these measures as acts of aggression.
