Havana (AFP) – Cuba said Thursday that the United States was ready to “cooperate” in the investigation into the deadly exchange of fire that occurred Wednesday off its coast, assuring that the island would defend itself against any “terrorist aggression.”

Published on: 02/26/2026 - 4:29 p.m. Modified on: 02/27/2026 - 00:27

Havana denounced on Wednesday an attempt at "infiltration for terrorist purposes" by an armed group after killing four occupants of a speedboat registered in Florida off the island, in a context of strong tensions with the United States.

In addition to the four people killed, six other occupants of the speedboat were injured after being intercepted in Cuban territorial waters by the island's coast guard. The commander of the Cuban ship was injured in the exchange of fire.

From the start of the affair, Cuban authorities "had contacts" with "their American counterparts, including the State Department and the Coast Guard," Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio said Thursday.

“The authorities of the American government have shown themselves willing to cooperate in clarifying these regrettable events,” he told the press.

Havana, which published on Thursday a complete list of the names of the alleged participants in the operation, indicated that the members of the armed group were Cubans residing in the United States. Island nationals do not lose their nationality, even if they have obtained another one.

A senior American official told AFP on Thursday that at least two of the passengers on the intercepted boat were American, specifying that one had died and the other was injured and was receiving medical treatment in Cuba.

This official added that “the owner of the boat declared that it had been stolen by an employee”. A third person held a visa and the others "could be legal permanent residents", according to the same source.

The head of American diplomacy, Marco Rubio, indicated on Wednesday that the United States was investigating this shooting. Asked whether the episode involved U.S. government personnel or was a U.S. government operation, Mr. Rubio categorically replied: "No."

Earlier, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel assured that his country would defend itself against any “terrorist aggression” that undermines “its sovereignty and national stability”, in a message published on X.

Uprising

According to the Cuban government, the men aboard the speedboat were in possession of assault rifles, handguns, homemade explosive devices, bulletproof vests and camouflage clothing.

The speedboat was intercepted off the northern coast of Cuba, near Cayo Falcones, in the province of Villa Clara (center). According to Havana, "shots" were fired from the boat against the Cuban troops who were approaching to carry out their identification.

One of the four men killed wanted to "go and fight" for "the freedom of Cuba" and provoke an uprising there, one of his political allies in the United States told AFP.

Its objective "was to go and fight a criminal and murderous narcotyranny, to see if it would cause a spark and if the people would rise up and support them", explained to AFP Wilfredo Beyra, head in Tampa of the Republican Party of Cuba, a political organization of opponents of Cuban power based in Florida.

“I warned him that this was not the time to act in this way for the freedom of Cuba, that we had to wait,” added Mr. Beyra, interviewed by telephone.

This violent clash comes as tensions between Washington and Havana have intensified in recent weeks, with the de facto oil embargo imposed by President Donald Trump on this communist country aggravating an already significantly deteriorated economic situation.

The UN coordinator in Cuba warned Thursday of the humanitarian crisis which is "worsening day by day" on the island due to restrictions on oil exports which affect vital sectors of the country.

The United States does not hide its desire to see a change of regime on the island of 9.6 million inhabitants, citing the "exceptional threat" posed to American national security by this country located only 150 km from the coast of Florida.

© 2026 AFP

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