Rubio Briefed After Deadly Shooting in Cuban Waters
Cuban soldiers killed four people and wounded six others after a Florida-registered speedboat entered Cuban waters and opened fire on them, according to the Cuban government on Wednesday.
The incident drew immediate attention from Washington. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he had been briefed and that the United States is now gathering its own information to determine whether any of the victims were American citizens or permanent residents.
Rubio Says US Agencies Are Verifying Facts Independently
Speaking to reporters at an airport in Basseterre, St Kitts, where he was attending a regional summit with Caribbean leaders, Rubio said multiple US agencies are working to verify what happened.
“There are various parts of the US government trying to identify details of the story that may not yet be available to us,” he said.
Rubio, the top diplomat under President Donald Trump, declined to speculate on the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Saying the situation could involve a “wide range of things.” He stressed that the US would not rely solely on information provided by Cuban authorities.
Rubio Calls Open-Sea Shootout ‘Highly Unusual’
“It’s highly unusual to see a shootout like this on the open sea,” Rubio said. “It’s not something that happens every day, and it hasn’t happened with Cuba in a very long time.”
Cuba’s government said one Cuban officer was injured during the exchange. It reported that four suspects were killed and six others wounded.
Rubio Confirms DHS and Coast Guard Investigations
Rubio said both the Department of Homeland Security and the United States Coast Guard are investigating the incident. He emphasized the need to independently confirm the facts before any response is made.
“Most of what’s being publicly reported comes from the Cubans,” Rubio said. “We will verify that ourselves, and once we know exactly what happened, we’ll respond accordingly.”
He added that the incident was not a US government operation and said he would not speculate about who owned the boat or why it was in Cuban waters.
Rubio: ‘We Will Know Exactly What Happened’
“We’re going to figure out exactly what happened,” Rubio said. “And when we know, we’ll tell you.”
According to Cuba’s interior ministry, the shooting occurred about one mile northeast of Cayo Falcones, off the island’s north coast. The ministry released the boat’s registration number, but The Associated Press said it could not independently verify the information because Florida boat registrations are not publicly accessible.
Cuban officials said the country was “safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region.” It remains unclear why the boat and its occupants were in Cuban waters.
Rubio Briefs White House as Tensions Rise
US Vice President JD Vance said Rubio had briefed him on the situation and confirmed that the White House is monitoring developments.
“Hopefully it’s not as bad as we fear it could be,” Vance said.
The shooting risks further straining already tense relations between the US and Cuba. In recent months, the Trump administration has taken a tougher stance toward Havana, particularly after Venezuela’s political upheaval reduced oil shipments that had helped sustain Cuba’s economy.
Rubio Pushes for ‘Dramatic Reforms’ in Cuba
Last month, Trump signed an executive order imposing tariffs on any country that supplies oil to Cuba, worsening the island’s energy crisis and increasing pressure on Mexico, which had become one of Cuba’s main petroleum suppliers.
Rubio said Cuba’s government must make major changes if conditions are to improve for its people, calling for “dramatic reforms” that would open space for economic and eventually political freedom.
Rubio Incident Sparks Florida Investigation
Meanwhile, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said he had ordered prosecutors to work with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to open an investigation.
“He wrote on X that he does not trust the Cuban government and vowed to hold the communists accountable.”
While clashes between Cuba’s coast guard and US-flagged speedboats have occurred in the past. Often involving smuggling or attempts to pick up migrants. Fatal shootings and reports of passengers opening fire are rare, making this incident highly unusual. Read More
