Cuba Says Four Killed After Speedboat From Florida Entered Cuban Waters and Opened Fire. February 25, 2026

[sds71]

Four people are dead after a speedboat from Florida entered Cuban waters and began firing on border patrol troops on Wednesday morning, the Cuban Ministry of the Interior said.

The ship was one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino canal in Cayo Falcones, the ministry said in a statement. When five members of the Border Guard Troops approached the boat for identification, those aboard the speedboat allegedly began shooting. The commander of the Cuban boat was injured, the ministry said.

"As a result of the confrontation," four people aboard the speedboat were killed and six were injured, the ministry said. The injured parties "were evacuated and received medical assistance."

[snipped for copyright]

The Cuban government said it "ratifies its willingness to protect territorial waters, based on the fact that national defense is a fundamental pillar for the Cuban State in favor of the protection of its sovereignty and stability in the region." _

Cuba says it killed 4 people on speedboat from Florida, alleges they were trying to carry out terrorism on Cuba

Cuba's Interior Ministry said Wednesday night that the boat was carrying 10 people armed with assault rifles, handguns and Molotov cocktails.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[PatLaurel]

The Cuban "Ministerio del Interior" shared the "vessel folio". I’m not sure if it’s an approved source, so I’m not reposting it. But I’m wondering, was the speedboat stolen, were the people on board on some kind of targeted and planned mission? Both... perhaps?

MOO JMO

 

[sds71]

Unclear if any Americans were involved in boat incident near Cuba. Rubio says US is going to find out exactly what happened and "respond accordingly." Different elements of the US govt are trying to verify elements of the story, he said. "We obviously want to have access to these people if they are American citizens and US residents,"
@SecRubio said. "Right now we're still gathering facts."

https://twitter.com/x/status/2026792591539249176

 

[musicaljoke]

What are the chances of ever learning the truth about what really happened? :/

 

[PatLaurel]

What are the chances of ever learning the truth about what really happened? :/

Probably never, but Cuba’s version of the events holds part of the truth. Violating territorial waters carries consequences. MOO JMO

 

[sds71]

Cuba’s government said late Wednesday that the 10 passengers on a boat that opened fire on its soldiers were armed Cubans living in the U.S. who were trying to infiltrate the island and unleash terrorism.

Cuba’s government said the majority of the 10 people on the boat “have a known history of criminal and violent activity.”

It identified two of them as Amijail Sánchez González and Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, who are wanted by Cuban authorities “based on their involvement in the promotion, planning, organization, financing, support or commission of actions carried out in the national territory or in other countries, in connection with acts of terrorism.”
The government said it also had arrested Duniel Hernández Santos, adding that he was “sent from the United States to guarantee the reception of the armed infiltration, who at this time has confessed to his actions.”

Cuba Says Boat From Florida Opened Fire At Its Soldiers, Starting Fight That Killed 4

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that he was made aware of the incident with Cuban soldiers.

www.huffpost.com

 

[PatLaurel]

Florida speedboat in shootout with Cuban navy; 4 dead

A source familiar with information on the registration of the boat provided to NewsNation that the vessel belonged to a man who was born in Cuba. The boat’s last known address was Miami Lakes. The source added that they couldn’t confirm if the man was aboard the vessel at the time of the incident or even in possession of it.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement made contact with the man, sources also told NewsNation. He lives in Miami, but the boat was at a marina down in the Keys. Upon notification and contact, he reported the boat stolen. The man is not a suspect yet in any way.

Armed attack against a patrol vessel of the Border Guard Troops of the Ministry of the Interior

"On the morning of February 25, 2026, a violating speedboat was detected within Cuban territorial waters. The vessel, registered in Florida, United States, with registration number FL7726SH, approached up to 1 nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel, in Cayo Falcones, Corralillo municipality, Villa Clara province."


"The following items were seized: assault rifles, handguns, improvised explosive devices (Molotov cocktails), body armor, telescopic sights, and camouflage uniforms."

 

[Stunned]

I lived in Miami 1/2 my life, I'm actually surprised there was only 1 boat! IMO

 

[PatLaurel]

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/cuba/article314852009.html

On Wednesday, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies went to a house on Avenue G in Big Pine Key in the Lower Keys around 8:45 p.m., where a man, Angel Montera, reported his 24-foot boat was stolen. Montera told deputies he lives in Miami-Dade County but keeps the boat at the Big Pine Key house, where the owner lets him keep it in exchange for construction work, according to the report.

"A neighbor told deputies that she saw a white pickup pull into the property Wednesday, and a man got out of the truck and onto the vessel, leaving around 6:30 p.m."

 

[sds71]

U.S. citizens were on the speedboat involved in the shooting with Cuban forces, a State Department official tells me.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2027126922094792766

 

[PatLaurel]

U.S. citizens were on the speedboat involved in the shooting with Cuban forces, a State Department official tells me.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2027126922094792766

Cuban born U.S. citizens? MOO JMO

 

[PatLaurel]

Florida resident, Michel Ortega Casanova, killed in Cuba boat shooting: 'This fight needs to end'



Only one of the deceased has been identified so far: Michel Ortega Casanova.
Ortega Casanova was born in Cuba and lived in Lakeland, near Tampa, Florida. He reportedly immigrated to the United States in the 1980s.
The Tampa-based organization "Casa Cuba" described him on its social media profiles as a patriot and a member of the Cuban Republican Party.

List of passengers detained by Cuban authorities:

• Amijail Sánchez González
• Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez
• Conrado Galindo Sariol
• José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló
• Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara
• Roberto Azcorra Consuegra - Interviewed by NBC6 in Miami, who denies involvement.

 

[Stunned]

Florida resident, Michel Ortega Casanova, killed in Cuba boat shooting: 'This fight needs to end'



Only one of the deceased has been identified so far: Michel Ortega Casanova.
Ortega Casanova was born in Cuba and lived in Lakeland, near Tampa, Florida. He reportedly immigrated to the United States in the 1980s.
The Tampa-based organization "Casa Cuba" described him on its social media profiles as a patriot and a member of the Cuban Republican Party.

List of passengers detained by Cuban authorities:

• Amijail Sánchez González
• Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez
• Conrado Galindo Sariol
• José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló
• Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara
• Roberto Azcorra Consuegra - Interviewed by NBC6 in Miami, who denies involvement.

Did Michel come over during the Muriel boat lift in 1980?

 

[PatLaurel]

Did Michel come over during the Muriel boat lift in 1980?

I’ve asked myself the same question, and I didn’t find his name on the extensive list of Mariel refugees. It’s possible it was missed, or perhaps misspelled (intentionally or not as in the case of Reinaldo Arenas). MOO JMO

 

[PatLaurel]

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/cuba/article314865516.html

"Are you the friend or relative of one of the men Cuba said were aboard the doomed voyage? We want to talk to you."

MOO JMO

 

[Stunned]

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/cuba/article314865516.html

"Are you the friend or relative of one of the men Cuba said were aboard the doomed voyage? We want to talk to you."

MOO JMO

1/2 of Miami called in! Just a little joke! IMO

 

[PatLaurel]

MOO JMO
I so wish I could talk about Cuba without the conversation instantly becoming political. I’ve lost "friends" over it, even though I genuinely understand both perspectives... But for many you’re either on one side or the other.

If there is such a thing as a “friendly takeover” in politics, let it be one that brings medicines for everyone, invests in the economy, rebuilds infrastructures, restores equality and ensures oil reaches Cuba “para que nunca falte el azúcar.”
MOO JMO

https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...d4b7f8-1416-11f1-8e8d-fe91db44677b_story.html

"President Donald Trump says the United States is talking with Cuba and raised the possibility of a “friendly takeover” of the island without explaining what that means."

"Then, noting the exile community from the island living in the U.S., Trump said there could be something coming that “I think (is) very positive for the people that were expelled, or worse, from Cuba and live here.” He did not elaborate."

 

[Stunned]

MOO JMO
I so wish I could talk about Cuba without the conversation instantly becoming political. I’ve lost "friends" over it, even though I genuinely understand both perspectives... But for many you’re either on one side or the other.

If there is such a thing as a “friendly takeover” in politics, let it be one that brings medicines for everyone, invests in the economy, rebuilds infrastructures, restores equality and ensures oil reaches Cuba “para que nunca falte el azúcar.”
MOO JMO

https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...d4b7f8-1416-11f1-8e8d-fe91db44677b_story.html

"President Donald Trump says the United States is talking with Cuba and raised the possibility of a “friendly takeover” of the island without explaining what that means."

"Then, noting the exile community from the island living in the U.S., Trump said there could be something coming that “I think (is) very positive for the people that were expelled, or worse, from Cuba and live here.” He did not elaborate."

I think the Cuban community that supported him might be in or a horrible surprise. I hope not, they enrich Miami. IMO

 

[PatLaurel]

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/cuba/article314873687.html

"They said 10 men launched from Marathon for Cuba aboard not one but two boats, armed to the teeth with more than a dozen rifles, handguns, nearly 13,000 bullets and explosives."

"The men piled everything and everyone into one boat, a 24-foot, 1981 Pro-Line, and abandoned the other vessel after it broke down on the voyage to Cuba, they said."

 

[Stunned]

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/cuba/article314873687.html

"They said 10 men launched from Marathon for Cuba aboard not one but two boats, armed to the teeth with more than a dozen rifles, handguns, nearly 13,000 bullets and explosives."

"The men piled everything and everyone into one boat, a 24-foot, 1981 Pro-Line, and abandoned the other vessel after it broke down on the voyage to Cuba, they said."

View attachment 649129

View attachment 649130

I figured there would be more than one boat involved. Look at all that artillery! I wonder if more were coming? IMO