February 26, 2026 l By Dalena Reporters
Havana — A deadly confrontation between Cuban border forces and a U.S.-registered speedboat off the northern coast of Cuba has left four people dead and at least six more wounded, Cuban authorities and multiple international news agencies report.
According to an official statement by Cuba’s Ministry of the Interior (MININT), the incident occurred on the morning of February 25, 2026, near Cayo Falcones in the Villa Clara province, approximately one nautical mile within Cuban territorial waters.
Cuban border patrol troops approached the speedboat, which was registered in Florida, U.S., and attempted to identify the vessel and its occupants. Cuban officials said the crew of the boat unexpectedly opened fire on the patrol unit, injuring the commander of the Cuban vessel. In response, Cuban forces returned fire.
As a result of the exchange, four people on board the speedboat were killed, and six others were wounded, according to the Cuban government’s account. The wounded individuals were evacuated by Cuban authorities and received medical treatment.
At this time, the identities, nationalities, and reasons for the vessel’s presence near Cuban territorial waters have not been officially disclosed, leaving key questions unanswered. The Cuban government has launched an ongoing investigation to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident and the actions of those aboard the speedboat.
The Cuban statement framed the confrontation as a necessary defensive act to uphold national sovereignty and protect its territorial waters, asserting that the patrol’s response followed the initial gunfire from the speedboat.
The incident has drawn immediate attention from U.S. officials. Some American lawmakers criticized the use of lethal force against what was described in media reports as a civilian-registered vessel. Representative Carlos Gimenez, a Florida Republican, referred to the deadly encounter as a “massacre” and urged further investigation. Representative María Elvira Salazar stated that she was closely monitoring developments as more information becomes available.
As of the latest reports, the U.S. State Department has refrained from issuing an official statement. Cuba’s Interior Ministry reiterated its commitment to defending its maritime borders in adherence to international law and national security principles.
This maritime clash comes amid already heightened tensions between Washington and Havana, more than six decades after the end of formal diplomatic ties and long-standing political friction between the two nations. In recent months, punitive U.S. sanctions, including an oil embargo targeting Cuba’s primary fuel supplies, have intensified economic strain within the island nation, exacerbating diplomatic strain.
Political analysts caution that incidents like this have the potential to escalate into wider diplomatic disputes if not handled with transparency, careful investigation, and dialogue. Amid the ongoing humanitarian and geopolitical pressures in the region, the world is watching how both Cuba and the United States respond to this incident in the coming days.