Cuban Military Fires on U.S. Speedboat Approaching Border, Injuring Six
Incident Occurred Amid U.S. Blockade on Cuba; U.S. State Department Clarifies It’s Unrelated to Government
[Edaily Reporter Kim Gyere] On the 25th (local time), a shooting occurred between a U.S. speedboat and the Cuban coast guard in the Caribbean Sea near the Cuban border, resulting in the deaths of four passengers on the U.S. side. The human casualties in this heightened political tension between the U.S. and Cuba may impact the bilateral relations.
According to reports from the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and others, the Cuban Ministry of the Interior stated that a shootout took place in the morning between a speedboat registered in Florida and the Cuban border guards, resulting in the killing of four passengers on the speedboat.
The Cuban Ministry of the Interior did not disclose specific details of the confrontation but explained that the speedboat was located about one mile from the northeastern coast of Cayo Falcones in Cuba.
The shootout resulted in the deaths of four on the U.S. speedboat and injured six others. It is reported that one Cuban individual was also injured. The specific identities and nationalities of the deceased and injured have not yet been confirmed.
It remains unclear why the speedboat entered Cuban territorial waters. Regarding the possibility of the U.S. administration’s involvement or a U.S. military operation, Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied any such involvement.
However, the Associated Press reported that over the past few years, some vessels have been involved in smuggling and the illegal entry of Cubans. In 2022, Cuba seized 13 such U.S.-registered speedboats related to immigrant smuggling. According to U.S. federal statistics, over the past six years, about one million Cubans have migrated to the U.S.
The incident is likely to further escalate tensions between the U.S. and Cuba. The Trump administration had been targeting to dismantle Cuba’s communist regime following Venezuela. Despite U.S. sanctions, Cuba has maintained a one-party dictatorship for nearly 70 years.
Secretary Rubio stated, “The Cuban regime is on the brink of collapse, and bold reforms are necessary,” emphasizing the need to provide Cubans with economic and ultimately political freedoms.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration captured former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and seized oil infrastructure, cutting off oil supplies to Cuba. Cuba, heavily reliant on Venezuelan oil for over 60 years, is currently facing severe energy shortages.
As the humanitarian crisis in Cuba worsens due to energy shortages, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), a branch of the U.S. Treasury Department, announced it would allow the sale of Venezuelan crude oil to Cuba through private sector intermediaries.