Havana, Feb. 26 (SANA) Cuba said it thwarted an armed infiltration attempt by sea from the United States, leaving four people dead and six others wounded after an exchange of fire with a Florida-registered speedboat near its coast.
According to a statement by Cuba’s Interior Ministry, cited by Agence France-Presse, shots were fired from the vessel when a Cuban coastguard boat approached to identify those on board, wounding the Cuban captain.
“As a result of the clash, four of the attackers on the foreign side were killed and six others were injured,” the ministry said, adding that the wounded were evacuated and provided with medical treatment.
The boat was carrying 10 Cuban nationals residing in the United States. Detainees told authorities they had intended to carry out an infiltration operation “for terrorist purposes,” the statement added.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was seeking to establish its own account of the incident and would not rely solely on the Cuban version, adding that the United States would respond based on the findings.
The incident comes amid rising tensions between United States and Cuba, separated by about 160 kilometers (100 miles) of sea, despite limited signs that Washington has eased some restrictions, particularly on oil supplies to the island.
Cuba has faced deepening economic pressure following a decline in fuel shipments from Venezuela, which had previousl
