Photo: Alamy
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., are calling for an investigation after Cuban authorities allegedly opened fire on a U.S.-registered boat Wednesday, killing four people near the island.
Speaking at a conference in St. Kitts and Nevis, Rubio said the United States would seek clarity on the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“We’re going to find out exactly what happened here, and then we’ll respond accordingly,” Rubio said.
Rubio, who was born in Miami to Cuban immigrants, described the reported exchange as highly unusual.
“It is highly unusual to see shootouts in open sea like that. It’s not something that happens every day. It’s something, frankly, that hasn’t happened with Cuba in a very long time,” he said.
Cuba’s Interior Ministry said the vessel approached within one nautical mile northeast of a coastal town in central Cuba and opened fire on border officers when security forces attempted to identify those onboard.
According to Cuban state media, officials said the boat was carrying 10 armed Cuban nationals who reside in the United States and were attempting to infiltrate the island for what authorities described as “terrorist purposes.” Cuban officials said those wounded in the confrontation were taken for medical treatment.
“In the face of current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its determination to protect its territorial waters,” the government said in a statement posted on X, describing national defense as a pillar of sovereignty.
Gimenez, a frequent critic of the Cuban government, sharply condemned the incident.
“I am calling for an immediate investigation into this massacre. United States authorities must determine whether any of the victims were U.S. citizens or legal residents and establish exactly what occurred,” he said. “The regime in Cuba must be relegated to the dustbin of history for its countless crimes against humanity.”
U.S. officials have not yet confirmed the identities of the four people reported killed or independently verified Cuba’s account of events.
