Cuba’s Interior Ministry announced Wednesday that four men aboard a Florida-registered speedboat were shot and killed after Cuban authorities intercepted the vessel in Cuban territorial waters. Six additional passengers were wounded, and a Cuban border guard commander was injured in the exchange. Officials say the incident is under investigation as tensions between Havana and Washington remain high.
According to the ministry, the speedboat, registered in Florida under number FL7726SH, was detected near Cayo Falcones in Villa Clara province early Wednesday morning. Cuban authorities stated that when a border guard vessel approached to identify the craft, the occupants of the speedboat opened fire.
Cuban officials said the confrontation resulted in the deaths of four individuals described as “aggressors” aboard the foreign vessel. Six others were injured and evacuated for medical treatment. The wounded Cuban officer was also transported for care.
The identities and nationalities of those aboard the speedboat have not been publicly confirmed. Cuban authorities have launched an investigation to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the purpose of the vessel’s presence in Cuban waters.
Florida Rep. Carlos Gimenez called for an urgent investigation, referring to the incident as a “massacre.” He urged U.S. authorities to determine whether any of the victims were American citizens or legal residents. Gimenez also criticized the Cuban government in public remarks.
The confrontation comes at a time of heightened strain between the United States and Cuba. Havana is grappling with a deepening fuel crisis, worsened by U.S. pressure campaigns targeting Venezuelan oil shipments to the island. Cuban officials reiterated their determination to defend territorial waters and protect national sovereignty.
The incident also coincides with a regional diplomatic push by the Trump administration. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Saint Kitts and Nevis meeting with Caribbean leaders as part of broader efforts to increase pressure on the Cuban government.
U.S. officials have not yet issued a formal public response. As investigations continue, questions remain about the mission of the vessel and whether the deadly exchange will further escalate tensions between Havana and Washington.
