Cuba Says Florida-Licensed Vessel Attacked Cuban Guards

(MENAFN) Cuba's Interior Ministry reported Wednesday that the crew of a Florida-licensed vessel opened fire on Cuban border guards after illegally entering the island nation's territorial waters — leaving four alleged attackers dead and a Cuban commanding officer wounded in a dramatic confrontation at sea.

The ministry said in an official statement that the boat was intercepted approximately one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel, off the northern Cayo Falcones island — roughly 150 kilometers (93 miles) from the southern tip of Florida — in clear violation of Cuban territorial waters.

Authorities dispatched five border guard troops to intercept the vessel. As they moved in, the crew opened fire. The Cuban commanding officer sustained injuries in the exchange, while four of the alleged attackers were killed and six others were wounded. The injured were subsequently transferred to the island for medical treatment.

Havana was unequivocal in its response, warning that future provocations would be met with equal resolve. "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 Interior Ministry statement read.

The incident surfaces against a backdrop of sharply deteriorating US-Cuba relations. President Donald Trump has publicly pledged to see the island "fall," while a long-standing US embargo continues to strangle Cuba's economy — fueling a crippling energy crisis that has left millions of citizens without reliable power.

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