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Cuban Border Guards Kill Four Peopless on US-Registered Boat
Four people were killed and six injured after Cuban border guards opened fire on a US-registered speedboat near Villa Clara, prompting US officials to launch an investigation amid rising tensions between Washington and Havana.
Havana Waterfront – Cuba by Unsplash
Four people aboard a US-registered speedboat were shot dead by Cuban border guards after entering Cuban territorial waters, the Cuban government said, in an incident that has prompted calls for a US investigation and heightened tensions between Washington and Havana.
In a statement, Cuba’s Interior Ministry said the Florida-registered vessel, bearing registration number FL7726SH, was detected Wednesday morning near Cayo Falcones in Villa Clara province along Cuba’s northern coast.
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According to the ministry, a Cuban coast guard vessel carrying five border guard members approached the speedboat for identification when “the crew of the violating speedboat opened fire,” wounding the Cuban commander.
“As a consequence of the confrontation, as of the time of this report, four aggressors on the foreign vessel were killed and six injured,” the statement said. The wounded were evacuated and provided medical assistance.
Cuba said it does not know the identities or nationalities of those aboard the vessel, nor the purpose of its presence in the area, and that an investigation has been launched to clarify the circumstances.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the nationalities of those on board remain unclear and that the United States would make determinations based on verified facts. He confirmed the vessel was not carrying US government personnel.
Speaking from Saint Kitts and Nevis, where he was meeting Caribbean leaders amid the Trump administration’s efforts to increase pressure on Cuba and address other regional issues, Rubio described the confrontation as unusual.
“It is highly unusual to see shootouts on the open sea like that. It’s not something that happens everyday,” he told reporters.
Rubio said US investigators would move quickly to gather facts and that the US Coast Guard had travelled to the vicinity of the incident. He said it was not yet clear who had possession of the vessel and stressed the need to determine whether any of the individuals involved were American citizens or US residents.
“We obviously want to have access to these people, if they are American citizens or US residents,” Rubio said, adding that Washington would not rely solely on information provided by the Cuban government and would independently verify the facts.
The incident occurred amid increased tensions between the United States and Cuba. The island nation is facing a worsening fuel crisis, exacerbated by US efforts to block oil shipments from Venezuela, a longstanding Cuban ally.
In its statement, Cuba said that “in the face of current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its determination to protect its territorial waters” and safeguard its sovereignty.
On Wednesday, the US Treasury Department announced it would ease certain small private sector transactions, including oil sales, to support the Cuban people for commercial and humanitarian purposes.
The shooting also came one day after Cuban American groups in Miami marked the 30th anniversary of the brothers to the Rescue shootdown, in which four people were killed.
The incident prompted calls from several Florida lawmakers for an investigation and criticism of the Cuban government.
Florida Congressman Carlos Gimenez, a Cuban American and former mayor of Miami, said he would demand an investigation into what he described as a “massacre” and urged US authorities to determine whether any victims were US citizens or legal residents.
Florida Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar said on social media that she was monitoring the situation and awaiting further details from US authorities.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said he would direct local law enforcement to investigate the incident, stating that the Cuban government could not be trusted and that efforts would be made to hold it accountable.
In the US Senate, Florida Republican Rick Scott called for a full investigation into what he described as a deeply concerning situation and said the Cuban government must be held accountable.
US Vice-President JD Vance said the White House was monitoring developments.
“Hopefully it’s not as bad as we fear it could be,” Vance said at an unrelated event in Washington. “But I can’t say more because I just don’t know more.”
Editor’s Note:
This article is based on statements from Cuba’s Interior Ministry and comments from U.S. officials. Details regarding the identities and nationalities of those involved, as well as the circumstances of the confrontation, remain under investigation by both governments.
