Cuba says 4 killed after speedboat from Florida opened fire in Cuban waters (www.usatoday.com)
from floofloof@lemmy.ca to world@lemmy.world on 25 Feb 2026 23:50
https://lemmy.ca/post/60979295

cross-posted from: lemmy.world/post/43578877

Four people riding in a speedboat registered in the U.S. were killed Feb. 25 in a gunfight with Cuban government forces after entering the country’s waters, according to the Cuban Embassy in the U.S.

Crewmembers aboard a speedboat registered in Florida entered Cuban waters and opened fire on Cuban Ministry of the Interior forces when they approached the American vessel, the Cuban Embassy said in a statement. Aboard the Florida-registered vessel, four were killed and six were injured in the gunfight; the commander of the Ministry of the Interior vessel was wounded in the gunfight, Cuba said.

“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,” Cuban authorities said. “Investigations by the competent authorities continue in order to fully clarify the events.”

According to Cuban officials, the wounded crewmembers of the Florida-registered boat were evacuated for medical assistance.

#world

threaded - newest

deHaga@feddit.uk on 26 Feb 2026 00:22 next collapse

Trump speed running repeat of 200 years of American imperial history in 8 weeks.

Banana wars, tick

Silver shirts, tick

Regime change, tick

Middle east shit, tick

Bay of pigs, tick

Stupid fucking war no one wanted, Monday or Tuesday maybe

Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works on 26 Feb 2026 02:17 collapse

The crew consisted of Cuban nationals residing in the U.S., Cuban authorities said in a late update Wednesday evening. The crew was armed with assault rifles, handguns and Molotov cocktails, Cuba said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said U.S. government personnel were not involved and called for an investigation into the incident.

What makes you think the US government is responsible for this?

b_tr3e@feddit.org on 26 Feb 2026 03:03 collapse

I don’t think it needed the active support of the government to motivate a bunch of exile Cubans, but Trumps new aggression against Cuba certainly helped. It hardly is just coincidence that it happemed right now.

Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works on 26 Feb 2026 04:04 collapse

Motivated to do what? What exactly do you think a single boat was planning on doing?

Smif_N_Lenin@piefed.social on 26 Feb 2026 04:34 collapse

why do you think they were armed? and opened fired on Cuban ships

Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works on 26 Feb 2026 05:36 collapse

No, you go first. By all means, tell us what this one boat was planning on doing.

Smif_N_Lenin@piefed.social on 26 Feb 2026 06:17 collapse

Firing on Cuban ships, did you not read what happened?

Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works on 26 Feb 2026 06:25 collapse

To what end?

You lot seem to think this was some type of coup attempt, rather than some smugglers that got busted and tried to run.

Which I find very entertaining.

Smif_N_Lenin@piefed.social on 26 Feb 2026 07:11 next collapse

Smugglers that were headed to Cuba, armed, and instigated hostilities with Cuban ships by firing upon them? That makes zero sense.

You seem to be having fun making up whatever fantasy scenarios that you like, so keep at it

ranzispa@mander.xyz on 26 Feb 2026 08:06 collapse

Smugglers have reasons to be armed and sometimes are. In this case they got approached for a control, you can imagine that if they were carrying weapons they probably had some other illegal thing. At that point they could surrender to the authorities, but that would likely get them to jail. They were armed and thus shot on the ship in order to escape. Doesn’t seem too far fetched.

On the other hand: one boat with a few men and guns was directed to Cuba to make a coup. They got stopped by authorities, fired at them and escaped. This doesn’t make sense. How are you making a coup if you’re not able to pass the first control ship that approaches you?

Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works on 26 Feb 2026 08:59 next collapse

It’s either a smuggling attempt, or the most hilariously bad attempt at guerrilla warfare I’ve ever heard of.

They injured one person.

Smif_N_Lenin@piefed.social on 26 Feb 2026 16:35 collapse

In addition to weapons, crewmembers had bulletproof vests, rifle scopes and camouflage fatigues

They clearly weren’t smart but it’s obvious they had lethal intentions. If anything was trying to be smuggled it would have been confiscated, yet nothing of the sort was found. plus there are far easier ways to smuggle through legal channels than on an armed unauthorized speedboat. Nothing about the smuggling angle holds up

ranzispa@mander.xyz on 26 Feb 2026 19:01 collapse

I’m not able to copy from the Facebook page, but apparently it was the same people on the boat saying they had the intention to infiltrate with terrorist intentions. That’s indeed a strange affirmation and was likely modified by the interior minister, but probably not too far from what they stated.

I was indeed mistaken.

Smif_N_Lenin@piefed.social on 26 Feb 2026 19:13 collapse

Once the wounded are treated we may have more info on what exactly they were planning, and if any government backing was involved. But I think them being vigilantes makes more sense currently

prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 26 Feb 2026 12:15 collapse

Because they’re fucking stupid and insane? Stop looking for reason.

ryathal@sh.itjust.works on 26 Feb 2026 03:41 next collapse

I’d say it’s most likely some form of smuggling that got caught up in the increased tension.

Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works on 26 Feb 2026 04:15 collapse

Definitely a more plausible explanation than an attempted regime change by half a dozen people in a speedboat, which some people here seem to think is the case. 😂

ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net on 26 Feb 2026 08:18 next collapse

But they were from Florida…

Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works on 26 Feb 2026 10:34 collapse

That does change things a bit.

Schmoo@slrpnk.net on 26 Feb 2026 17:50 collapse

TBH I wouldn’t put it past a bunch of right-wingers from Florida to think storming Cuba with half a dozen people in a speedboat is a good idea.

GuyIncognito@lemmy.ca on 26 Feb 2026 17:30 collapse

I’m gonna go idle my car for an hour just to help Miami sink a little faster