The family that owns the vessel registered in Florida FL7726SH, which was involved in an armed confrontation in the waters of Villa Clara, claims that the boat was stolen and was never intended for an armed operation.
In an audio testimony sent to the influencer Eliecer Ávila, a close relative of the owner stated that the vessel is "a completely family-oriented boat", used for fishing activities, and that it was taken by an employee from their company in South Florida.
“The boat of what happened over there in Cuba is a boat from our family. It is an entirely family boat. It's not any speedboat… it's a fishing boat,” said the witness, who did not identify himself by name.
"It's not a speedboat."
The man insisted that the official description of "speedboat" does not match the reality of the vessel.
"It's a little boat, about twenty-four feet," he explained, referring to its approximate length.
He described it as a type of fishing model Carolina Skiff, keel-less, open, without a cabin, and featuring a small central console.
“It’s a flat boat, with no cabin or anything… a fully fishing boat. There’s a small console in the middle, and everything else is completely open,” he detailed.
He emphasized that the vessel had only one engine -a recently installed Yamaha 300- something that, in his opinion, contradicts the idea of a planned operation to cross the Florida Straits or to carry out an armed action.
"Who crosses the canal with just one engine? Even to Bimini, people prefer not to go with just one engine because there's no reserve," he questions. "When undertaking a dangerous journey... people go in a boat with three engines, four."
It also questions whether ten people could travel in adequate conditions on that vessel: “Ten people is overloading... that’s a washbasin.”
Although he acknowledges that the boat was prepared to carry fishing traps and could support weight, he emphasizes that its structure is completely exposed. "In that boat, there's nowhere to hide... it's like a straw," he pointed out.
From their perspective, the outcome was disproportionate: “What they did there was a massacre.”
"The boat was stolen."
The family claims that the vessel was stolen by an employee of their construction company, who had access to the keys.
“We have a company under construction... an employee stole the boat from us,” he stated, and reiterated that the only person who had access to the boat keys was him.
According to his account, the boat was registered in his father-in-law's name.
The family learned about what happened when the police arrived at the home linked to the boat's records and began receiving calls from the media.
"My brother just found out... they were moving when the police arrived. The channels started calling, and we were like, 'What happened?'" he said, specifying that at the moment he recorded the audio, federal agents were in the house.
"Right now, the FBI is at my brother's house," she assured.
The man insisted that there is no other possible version: “The boat was stolen. It’s a family boat… that is one hundred percent guaranteed. There is no truth outside of this.”
He admits, however, that they are unaware of what exactly happened in Cuban waters and what the situation is of the worker in question, whose name he did not mention.
About the employee, it was mentioned that he was known as “a kind, quiet, calm person,” although it was acknowledged that they did not know if he owned weapons or what motivations he might have had for stealing the vessel.
The confrontation
According to an informative note from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT), a speedboat registered in Florida (FL7726SH) was detected navigating within Cuban waters, approximately one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel, in Cayo Falcones, municipality of Corralillo, province of Villa Clara.
According to the official version, a surface unit of the Border Guard Troops, consisting of five personnel, approached the vessel to identify it.
At that moment - according to the statement - fire was opened from the "violating" boat against the Cuban military.
In the exchange of gunfire, the commander of the Cuban vessel was injured. The official report indicated that four individuals were killed on board the boat and six others were wounded, who were evacuated and received medical attention.
Subsequently, authorities identified Michel Ortega Casanova as one of the deceased and stated that the occupants intended to enter the country with “terrorist purposes.” They also reported the seizure of assault rifles, handguns, incendiary devices, bulletproof vests, and camouflage uniforms.
Among those detained are Amijail Sánchez González and Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, whose names appear on the list of individuals classified as terrorists that the regime presented to the UN.
Reactions in the United States
The incident prompted immediate reactions in Washington. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the U.S. government will independently verify what happened. Vice President JD Vance noted that the situation is being monitored and acknowledged that they do not yet have all the details.
In South Florida, Miami-Dade tax collector Dariel Fernández characterized the Cuban statement as a narrative not verified by independent sources. Mayor Daniella Levine Cava called for a comprehensive and transparent evaluation, while Congress members María Elvira Salazar and Carlos A. Giménez demanded clarification on whether any of the victims were citizens or legal residents of the United States.
While the Cuban regime claims it was an armed infiltration with "terrorist aims," the family that owns the vessel insists on a different story: that of a "completely homemade boat" that, they say, was stolen before ending up in a shootout that left four dead and several wounded.
Investigations continue on both sides of the Florida Strait.
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