Politics Cuba: Talking to Washington about incident at sea
Following the exchange of fire between Cuban border guards and the crew of a speedboat registered in the US, Havana and Washington have exchanged views on the incident, according to Cuban sources.
27.02.2026, 07:40
SDA
"The US authorities have expressed their willingness to cooperate in the investigation," said Carlos Fernández de Cossio, deputy foreign minister of the socialist island state. Talks were being held with the US State Department and the US Coast Guard, among others.
According to the Interior Ministry in Havana, border guards discovered the boat on Wednesday morning (local time) in Cuban territorial waters near Cayo Falcones. When a unit of border troops approached the boat to identify it, the crew opened fire. Four of the ten people on the speedboat were killed, the others were injured. The commander of the Cuban patrol boat was also injured. According to reports, all those involved were Cubans living in the USA who had terrorist intentions and wanted to enter Cuba illegally.
Ammunition, weapons and night vision devices found
According to the Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister, assault rifles, pistols, Molotov cocktails, night-vision devices, bulletproof vests, camouflage clothing, ammunition and communication devices were found on the boat, as well as "insignia of counter-revolutionary terrorist organizations".
Tensions between the USA and Cuba, which have existed since the 1959 revolution under Fidel Castro, have intensified once again in recent weeks. Under US President Donald Trump, the United States is exerting increased pressure on Cuba's communist government. Despite the tensions, there has been regular communication between the two governments for years on migration issues and coast guard matters.
