A former member of the group involved in the armed confrontation that took place off the coast of Villa Clara broke the silence from Florida to dissociate himself from the operation that ended with four dead and several arrests in Cuba.
The source -who requested to remain anonymous and whose voice was distorted for security reasons- ensured in statements to the journalist from Univision, Javier Díaz, that they were part of the movement in its early days, but chose to distance themselves some time ago due to internal disagreements.
"This story begins on TikTok. I also joined that group. We were a prepared movement. 'He' was in the special forces and he had a lot of knowledge about various things as well," he recounted.
It is not clear to whom he refers when mentioning "him," but he describes him as a figure with military experience and leadership within the group.
According to his testimony, the plan that led to the armed incursion was not new.
“What just happened should have happened earlier. The thing is, at that moment I wasn't sure and I kind of hesitated”, he stated.
Internal differences marked his departure.
“I had controversies with him because there were many things I disagreed with him on. There were certain ambitions to seize power in Cuba, certain things that did not align with my beliefs,” he noted.
The former member claims that his departure weakened the original group.
"When I separated, when I left, the movement weakened; they rushed to seek other alternatives, to join other groups. There were other people from different groups who joined," he asserted
According to their account, after that reconfiguration, training began in Florida with a view to carrying out the armed action.
"They began training in Florida and prepared for this moment."
Despite claiming to have detailed knowledge of the structure and the plans, he insists that he did not participate in the incursion nor does he share what happened.
"I have the names of all the people, I have knowledge of everything they were going to do, I have every detail of all the things, but I cannot speak about those things because I am a man of my word," he said.
“I no longer have anything to do with this, I separated long before”, he emphasized, stating that he has nothing to do with what ended up happening this Wednesday.
Additionally, he stated that there are other movements in the United States that would be ready to act if the operation had been successful.
"I know there are other movements here that are ready to execute the 'second wave' that was supposed to come if they succeeded," he concluded.
The official version of the confrontation
The Ministry of the Interior (MININT) reported this Wednesday that a suspected "fast boat" with registration from the state of Florida (FL7726SH) was detected within Cuban waters, approximately one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino canal, in Cayo Falcones, municipality of Corralillo, Villa Clara.
According to the official statement, a surface unit of the Border Guard Troops, made up of five personnel, approached the vessel to identify it.
At that moment, according to the government version, gunfire was opened from the "infringing" boat against the Cuban military.
In the exchange of gunfire, the commander of the Cuban vessel was injured. The report stated that four individuals were killed on board the boat and six others were injured, who were evacuated and received medical attention.
The MININT assured that the vessel was transporting ten armed individuals who intended to enter the national territory with "terrorist purposes," according to preliminary statements from the detainees.
Those arrested include Amijail Sánchez González, Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, Conrado Galindo Sariol, José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló, Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara, and Roberto Azcorra Consuegra.
Additionally, Duniel Hernández Santos was detained on Cuban territory, allegedly linked to the reception of the group.
Authorities reported the seizure of assault rifles, handguns, homemade incendiary devices, bulletproof vests, telescopic sights, and camouflage uniforms.
They also noted that some of the individuals involved have criminal records and that two of them appeared on national lists linked to previous investigations.
The names of Amijail Sánchez González and Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez also appear on the list that the regime updated last July and presented to the UN as part of its national registry of individuals deemed terrorists.
Cuban Republican Party distances itself
Amid the controversy, the Republican Party of Cuba (PRC), which defines itself as the largest opposition political organization in the country, issued a statement to disassociate itself from the armed action.
The organization, with a presence both inside and outside the Island, reaffirmed that its work is strictly political.
"The PRC does not direct armed actions nor exercises control over the decisions or individual actions that its members or supporters may take personally," stated the text published on Facebook.
The Party confirmed that Michel Ortega Casanova—identified as one of the four victims killed during the confrontation—was a member of the organization, but emphasized that the leadership was unaware of his intentions.
While the Cuban government labels the incursion as a terrorist act organized from abroad, the testimony of the former member in Florida offers a perspective that highlights internal fractures, leadership ambitions, and an operation that, according to him, was decided without his direct involvement.
The official investigation is ongoing, and the case is once again straining the already complex relationship between the exile community and the regime in Havana.
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