Cuba News: What We Know About the Gun Battle Off the Coast and the Florida Speedboat Confrontation
In the latest cuba news, Cuba’s Interior Ministry said it killed four of the 10 passengers on a Florida-registered speedboat after a deadly gunfight in Cuban waters that left six others wounded and detained. The ministry identified the passengers as armed Cuban nationals living in the U. S. and described the incident as an attempted infiltration with alleged terrorist intent.
Cuba News: Where the Confrontation Occurred and How It Unfolded
The Interior Ministry said the speedboat approached to within one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel, north of the town of Corralillo in the province of Villa Clara. Five Cuban border guard troops aboard a government vessel moved in to identify the boat’s passengers. The people on the speedboat opened fire on the soldiers; one Cuban commander was wounded during the exchange. The ministry described the ensuing clash as a gunfight in Cuban waters that resulted in four deaths on the boat and six people wounded.
Casualties, Evacuation and Detention
Four passengers on the speedboat were killed and six others were wounded. The wounded were evacuated for medical treatment and detained by the Cuban government. The Interior Ministry characterized the government’s actions as safeguarding sovereignty and stability in the region.
Passengers Identified and Family Reaction
The Interior Ministry identified seven of the passengers by name and said they were armed Cuban nationals living in the U. S. One of the deceased was named Michel Ortega Casanova. Michel’s brother, Misael, said Michel had lived for more than 20 years in the U. S. as an American citizen, worked as a truck driver, and is survived by his wife, mother, two sisters, and a pregnant daughter. Misael said no one knew of Michel’s plans and described a personal belief that Michel had fallen into an obsessive quest to free Cuba; Misael expressed a hope that Michel’s death "will justify that some day Cuba will be free. "
The Interior Ministry also named Amijail Sánchez González, Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, Conrado Galindo Sariol, José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló, Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara, and Roberto Azcorra Consuegra as six who were arrested. The context includes a mid-sentence fragment indicating the ministry "said they have a 'know'" — unclear in the provided context.
Weapons, Equipment Seized and Official Statements
The government said it seized assault rifles, handguns, Molotov cocktails, bullet-proof vests, telescopes, and camouflage uniforms that were on the boat. Cuban state media, citing a ministry statement, said that "preliminary declarations" by the detained men indicated an intent to enter Cuba "for terrorist purposes. " The Interior Ministry framed its response as protecting national sovereignty and regional stability.
Wider Political and Economic Context
The shootout has prompted both fear and hope that rising tensions between the U. S. and Cuba could be driven to a breaking point. The incident occurred against a backdrop described in the context as the U. S. having starved Cuba of its key supply of Venezuelan oil, a development said to have crippled Cuba’s already fragile economy and produced frequent blackouts and skyrocketing food prices. Some observers in the provided context view the event as a potential opening for the U. S. to step up pressure on Cuba toward regime change, and the context notes that President Donald Trump has floated the idea that after the U. S. ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Jan. 3, Cuba could be next.
Images, Dates and Unclear Details
The context includes an image note that Cuban coast guard ships docked at the port of Havana on Feb. 25, 2026. A separate line in the context asked to show more content through an online search interface — unclear in the provided context. Several details in the original account are complete; others end mid-sentence or are unclear in the provided context and therefore cannot be confirmed here.
Recent updates indicate the Interior Ministry’s characterization of an attempted infiltration and the seizure of weapons and equipment; details may evolve as investigations and official statements continue.
