Rick Scott: "The Cuban communist regime must be held accountable."

The Republican senator Rick Scott joined on Wednesday the calls for an investigation following the armed confrontation that took place in Cuban territorial waters, resulting in a preliminary count of four dead and seven injured.

“Shirokd a full investigation into this deeply concerning situation to determine what happened. The Cuban communist regime must be held accountable!” wrote Scott on the social media platform X, supporting the earlier call from Congressman Carlos A. Giménez.

Official version of Cuba

According to a report from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT), the events took place on the morning of February 25, 2026, when authorities detected a fast boat registered in the state of Florida (FL7726SH) sailing approximately one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel, in Cayo Falcones, Corralillo municipality, Villa Clara province.

According to the official version, a surface unit of the Border Guard troops approached the vessel to identify it, and allegedly, shots were fired from the boat at the Cuban personnel.

In the exchange of gunfire, the commander of the Cuban vessel was injured. The official report indicates that four people on board the boat were killed and another six were injured, who were evacuated and received medical attention.

Cuban authorities indicated that investigations are ongoing and reaffirmed their commitment to protecting territorial waters and national sovereignty.

Reactions in the United States

Congressman Carlos Giménez demanded an immediate investigation to determine whether among the victims there were any citizens or legal residents of the United States.

Minutes later, the Florida Attorney General, James Uthmeier, announced the opening of a state investigation.

"I have instructed the State Prosecutor's Office to work with our federal, state, and law enforcement partners to initiate an investigation," wrote Uthmeier on X, who stated that the Cuban government must be held accountable.

So far, the identities of the deceased have not been revealed, nor have additional details about the circumstances that led the vessel to enter Cuban waters.

The incident could generate new diplomatic tensions between Washington and Havana amid calls from certain political sectors in the United States to clarify what happened.