Cuban border guards fatally shot four people aboard a Florida-registered speedboat Wednesday, an incident that has sparked a diplomatic dispute and raised tensions between Havana and Washington. Cuban authorities claim the ten individuals on board were armed Cuban nationals attempting to infiltrate the island and carry out acts of terrorism, while U.S. Officials are investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting and the identities of those involved.
According to the Cuban Interior Ministry, the shootout occurred approximately 1.6 kilometers northeast of Cayo Falcones, off Cuba’s north coast, after passengers on the speedboat opened fire on a Cuban patrol vessel, wounding its commander. Cuban forces returned fire, resulting in the deaths of four people and injuries to six others, who are now in custody. The ministry identified the passengers as having “a known history of criminal and violent activity.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking at a regional summit in St. Kitts, stated he was briefed on the incident and that the U.S. Is working to determine if any American citizens or permanent residents were among the casualties. “We have various different elements of the US Government that are trying to identify elements of the story that may not be provided to us now,” Rubio said. He emphasized that the incident was “highly unusual” and that both the Department of Homeland Security and the Coast Guard are conducting investigations.
The Cuban government has identified several of the passengers, including Amijail Sánchez González and Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, who are reportedly wanted in Cuba for alleged involvement in terrorism-related activities. They similarly named Duniel Hernández Santos, claiming he was sent from the United States to facilitate the operation and has since confessed to his role. However, the Associated Press has not independently verified these claims.
In a correction issued Thursday, Cuba’s deputy foreign minister, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, acknowledged that the government had mistakenly identified Roberto Azcorra Consuegra as being on board the vessel. He confirmed Azcorra was not present during the incident.
One of the deceased has been identified as Michel Ortega Casanova, a U.S. Citizen who had lived in the United States for over 20 years. His brother, Misael Ortega Casanova, told the Associated Press that Michel was driven by an “obsessive and diabolical” quest to liberate Cuba from its communist government. “They became so obsessed that they didn’t think about the consequences nor their own lives,” he said, adding that his brother leaves behind a wife, mother, two sisters, and a pregnant daughter.
The incident comes amid strained relations between the U.S. And Cuba. Recent actions by the Trump administration, including tariffs on countries providing oil to Cuba and the halting of oil shipments from Venezuela, have exacerbated Cuba’s economic challenges. Florida’s Attorney General, James Uthmeier, has vowed to hold the Cuban government accountable, calling it untrustworthy.
Conrado Galindo Sariol, another individual identified by Cuban authorities, was interviewed in June 2025 by Martí Noticias, a U.S.-based news outlet critical of the Cuban government. During the interview, Galindo expressed his desire to support efforts to achieve “the freedom that is needed” in Cuba.
The White House confirmed that Vice President JD Vance has been briefed on the situation and that the administration is monitoring developments. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida stated it would pursue answers “through every legal and diplomatic channel available,” acknowledging that “facts remain unclear and conflicting.” The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office in Florida has reported that the boat involved in the incident was allegedly stolen by an employee, but details remain limited.
