2 months ago
1
Cuba's Deputy Foreign Minister said connected Thursday (February 26, 2026) that the island's authorities is communicating with U.S. officials pursuing the fatal shooting of a U.S. vessel successful Cuban waters.
Carlos Fernandez de Cossio said the Cuban authorities is consenting to speech accusation with U.S. officials, adding that Cuba plans to inquire them for accusation connected the suspects progressive and what means they utilized to signifier the trip.
The Deputy Foreign Minister added that the U.S. authorities has shown willingness “to cooperate successful clarifying the facts.”
Cuba's Ministry of the Interior said that connected Wednesday (February 25) morning, a Florida-registered speedboat carrying 10 equipped Cubans from the U.S. opened occurrence connected soldiers disconnected the island's northbound coast, and that troops responded, sidesplitting 4 suspects and injuring six others. One Cuban authoritative besides was injured, the authorities said.
A U.S. authoritative said connected Thursday (February 26) that astatine slightest 1 American national was killed and different wounded successful the incident.
The official, who spoke connected information of anonymity owed to the sensitivity of the ongoing probe into Wednesday's (February 25) firefight, said different subordinate of the 10-person unit was successful the U.S. connected a visa and respective others whitethorn person been greenish paper holders.
Boat reported stolen
The authoritative said the proprietor of the vessel has alleged that it was stolen by 1 of his employees.
The 1981 Pro Line vessel was reported stolen from the Florida Keys, according to a study from the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.
It stated that the proprietor told authorities helium lives successful Miami-Dade County but keeps his vessel astatine a Big Pine Key house, whose proprietor allows him to support it successful speech for operation work.
The study states that the antheral reported the vessel stolen aft receiving calls from reporters and said helium had not seen his 24-foot vessel docked astatine the spot successful much than a week.
Cuba releases database of names
Cuba's authorities has released a database with the names of the alleged suspects and accused them of readying to invade the land and unleash terrorism.
Mr. Cossío said authorities recovered battle and sniper rifles, pistols, nighttime imaginativeness equipment, bayonets, camouflage clothing, combat rations, connection instrumentality “and a ample fig of insignia from counterrevolutionary violent organizations.”
He added: “This accusation is inactive preliminary. More details volition beryllium provided successful the coming days.”
On Wednesday (February 25) evening, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Coast Guard are investigating the incident.
“The bulk of the facts being publically reported are those by the accusation provided by the Cubans. We volition verify that independently arsenic we stitchery much information, and we'll beryllium prepared to respond accordingly,” Mr. Rubio said.
Mr. Cossio noted that Cuban authorities person regularly provided the U.S. with accusation connected radical helium asserted “have been progressive successful promoting, financing, and organising convulsive and violent acts against Cuba.”
He noted that 2 of the vessel passengers detained were connected that database “and enjoyed impunity wrong U.S. territory.” “The Cuban authorities is inactive awaiting responses to requests for accusation astir them and the different individuals and organizations included successful the database issued,” Mr. Cossio said.
He did not instrumentality questions from journalists astatine the property briefing.
Havana abuzz with opinions connected shooting
Meanwhile, crossed Havana and beyond, the streets were abuzz with opinions implicit what had happened.
“What the hell,” said 88-year-old thoroughfare instrumentalist Efrain Scotland of the alleged effort of 10 radical to invade the island. “No, my friend, no, that's not going to bring down a nation.”
Some, similar 48-year-old operation idiosyncratic Roberto Henry Figueredo, praised the mode Cuba defended itself.
“That hail of bullets that we unleashed was good,” helium said, adding that if it were to hap again, Cubans would withstand the attack. “If they occurrence astatine us, we're going to devour those bullets.”
People successful Cuba and beyond awaited much accusation astir the motive down the alleged attempted vessel travel to the Caribbean island.
Cuban governmental idiosyncratic Rafael M Hernandez told reporters successful an online briefing connected Thursday (February 26) that galore questions stay unanswered: “What were they doing? What were they looking for? Were they starting a liberation question successful Cuba? Were they trying to sabotage the Cuban economy?”
He described the alleged cognition arsenic “silly and counterproductive.”
However, immoderate disquieted that the shooting could worsen an already frayed narration betwixt Cuba and the United States, which has tightened sanctions.
Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump besides threatened to enforce a tariff connected immoderate state that sells oregon provides lipid to Cuba, which depended heavy connected petroleum from Venezuela. But those shipments were halted aft the US attacked the South American state and arrested its then-leader.
Cuba has since imposed terrible fuel-saving measures.
“I expect things to get much tense,” said 54-year-old Havana nonmigratory Rosa Larrondo, who described Wednesday's shooting arsenic “a usurpation of the sovereignty of the Cuban people.”
