The Cuban Embassy in the United States announced that its personnel engaged a speedboat registered in Florida when the boat entered Cuban territorial waters.The Cuban Ministry of the Interior announced on social media Wednesday afternoon that on Wednesday morning, a speedboat with a Florida registration number of FL7726SH entered Cuban territorial waters.The speedboat approached one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel, in Cayo Falcones, Corralillo municipality, Villa Clara province.According to the Cuban government, when one of its units from the Border Guard Troops of the Ministry of the Interior with five service members approached the American vessel for identification, the individuals on the speedboat “opened fire” on the Cuban personnel.A commander on the Cuban vessel was injured.Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 NewsThe Cuban government said during the confrontation, four aggressors on the speedboat were killed and six were injured. The injured individuals were evacuated and received medical assistance. Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.”In the face of current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its determination to protect its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar of the Cuban State in safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region,” the Cuban Ministry of the Interior said in a statement. “Investigations by the competent authorities continue in order to fully clarify the events.”U.S. Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez, who represents a portion of Miami-Dade County in the U.S. House of Representatives, released the following statement on the encounter:”I am calling for an immediate investigation into this massacre. United States authorities must determine whether any of the victims were U.S. citizens or legal residents and establish exactly what occurred. The regime in Cuba must be relegated to the dustbin of history for its countless crimes against humanity.”The incident comes a day after Cuban Americans marked 30 years since Brothers to the Rescue, a humanitarian organization with U.S. citizens and a resident of Florida had its airplanes shot down by Cuban military forces in international waters on Feb. 24, 1996.Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier released the following statement on social media:”I’ve directed the Office of Statewide Prosecution to work with our federal, state, and law enforcement partners to begin an investigation.”The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable.”U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters during a briefing in Saint Kitts and Nevis on Wednesday that Cuban authorities informed the United States of the incident on Wednesday morning.“We immediately began to look into it,” Rubio said. “As it stands now, the Department of Homeland Security, the Coast Guard, others are involved. The majority of the information we still possess is what Cuban authorities are providing both the public and the U.S. Government. We have our embassy on the ground in Havana working this as we speak, asking for access to the people that were on those vessels, if they were American citizens or permanent residents.”Rubio said it is working to confirm the information by the Cuban government that the speedboat was registered in Florida.CubaDebate, a media outlet in Havana, Cuba, first reported additional details from the country’s Ministry of the Interior on the encounter on Wednesday night. The Cuban Government said in a translated statement online the 10 people on the speedboat were all Cuban residents of the United States who were armed and according to statements from the detainees, had intentions of carrying out an infiltration for terrorist purpose.The Cuban government identified six people who were arrested:Amijail Sánchez GonzálezLeordan Enrique Cruz GómezConrado Galindo SariolJosé Manuel Rodríguez CastellóCristian Ernesto Acosta GuevaraRoberto Azcorra ConsuegraThe Cuban government noted that Sánchez González and Cruz Gómez were subject to criminal investigations and were wanted by Cuban authorities for their involvement in “promoting, planning, organizing, financing, supporting, or carrying out acts of terrorism within the national territory or in other countries.”Michel Ortega Casanova was one of the four people who were killed, and the Cuban government said it is working to identify the other three killed.The Cuban government said assault rifles, handguns, homemade explosive devices (Molotov cocktails), bulletproof vests, telescopic sights, and camouflage uniforms were seized.The Cuban government claims that one of its citizens, Duniel Hernández Santos, “was sent from the United States to guarantee the reception of the armed infiltration, who at this time has confessed to his actions.”WPBF 25 News requested comment again from the White House on the claims made by the Cuban government and is awaiting a response.
MATANZAS, Matanzas —
The Cuban Embassy in the United States announced that its personnel engaged a speedboat registered in Florida when the boat entered Cuban territorial waters.
The Cuban Ministry of the Interior announced on social media Wednesday afternoon that on Wednesday morning, a speedboat with a Florida registration number of FL7726SH entered Cuban territorial waters.
The speedboat approached one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel, in Cayo Falcones, Corralillo municipality, Villa Clara province.
According to the Cuban government, when one of its units from the Border Guard Troops of the Ministry of the Interior with five service members approached the American vessel for identification, the individuals on the speedboat “opened fire” on the Cuban personnel.
A commander on the Cuban vessel was injured.
Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 News
The Cuban government said during the confrontation, four aggressors on the speedboat were killed and six were injured. The injured individuals were evacuated and received medical assistance.
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
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Note from 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… pic.twitter.com/AEmwtAZ4lO
— Cuban Embassy in US (@EmbaCubaUS) February 25, 2026
“In the face of current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its determination to protect its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar of the Cuban State in safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region,” the Cuban Ministry of the Interior said in a statement. “Investigations by the competent authorities continue in order to fully clarify the events.”
U.S. Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez, who represents a portion of Miami-Dade County in the U.S. House of Representatives, released the following statement on the encounter:
“I am calling for an immediate investigation into this massacre. United States authorities must determine whether any of the victims were U.S. citizens or legal residents and establish exactly what occurred. The regime in Cuba must be relegated to the dustbin of history for its countless crimes against humanity.”
The incident comes a day after Cuban Americans marked 30 years since Brothers to the Rescue, a humanitarian organization with U.S. citizens and a resident of Florida had its airplanes shot down by Cuban military forces in international waters on Feb. 24, 1996.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier released the following statement on social media:
“I’ve directed the Office of Statewide Prosecution to work with our federal, state, and law enforcement partners to begin an investigation.”The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters during a briefing in Saint Kitts and Nevis on Wednesday that Cuban authorities informed the United States of the incident on Wednesday morning.
“We immediately began to look into it,” Rubio said. “As it stands now, the Department of Homeland Security, the Coast Guard, others are involved. The majority of the information we still possess is what Cuban authorities are providing both the public and the U.S. Government. We have our embassy on the ground in Havana working this as we speak, asking for access to the people that were on those vessels, if they were American citizens or permanent residents.”
Rubio said it is working to confirm the information by the Cuban government that the speedboat was registered in Florida.
CubaDebate, a media outlet in Havana, Cuba, first reported additional details from the country’s Ministry of the Interior on the encounter on Wednesday night.
The Cuban Government said in a translated statement online the 10 people on the speedboat were all Cuban residents of the United States who were armed and according to statements from the detainees, had intentions of carrying out an infiltration for terrorist purpose.
The Cuban government identified six people who were arrested:
Amijail Sánchez GonzálezLeordan Enrique Cruz GómezConrado Galindo SariolJosé Manuel Rodríguez CastellóCristian Ernesto Acosta GuevaraRoberto Azcorra Consuegra
The Cuban government noted that Sánchez González and Cruz Gómez were subject to criminal investigations and were wanted by Cuban authorities for their involvement in “promoting, planning, organizing, financing, supporting, or carrying out acts of terrorism within the national territory or in other countries.”
Michel Ortega Casanova was one of the four people who were killed, and the Cuban government said it is working to identify the other three killed.
The Cuban government said assault rifles, handguns, homemade explosive devices (Molotov cocktails), bulletproof vests, telescopic sights, and camouflage uniforms were seized.
The Cuban government claims that one of its citizens, Duniel Hernández Santos, “was sent from the United States to guarantee the reception of the armed infiltration, who at this time has confessed to his actions.”
WPBF 25 News requested comment again from the White House on the claims made by the Cuban government and is awaiting a response.