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The Cuban chancellor Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla stated that a "rigorous investigation" is underway to clarify the armed confrontation that occurred in the territorial waters of the island, which resulted in four fatalities.
"Cuba has had to face numerous terrorist and aggressive infiltrations from the U.S. since 1959, with a high cost in lives, injuries, and material damages," stated the Minister of Foreign Affairs on his account on X.
In the same message, he added: "A rigorous investigation is being conducted to clarify the facts" and emphasized that "the defense of Cuba's coasts, national territory, and national security is an unavoidable duty."
The chancellor's statement comes after the armed incident that occurred in the morning of Wednesday, February 25, in Cuban territorial waters, specifically in the northeastern area of the El Pino channel, in Cayo Falcones, municipality of Corralillo, Villa Clara province.
What happened in the confrontation?
According to a news release published by the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) and shared by the official profile Minint Hoy on Facebook, authorities detected a fast boat with a registration from the state of Florida, identified by the number FL7726SH, navigating in Cuban waters.
The vessel was located approximately one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel. According to the official version, a surface unit from the Border Guard Troops, composed of five personnel, approached to proceed with its identification.
The MININT stated that "gunfire was opened" from the offending vessel against the border guards, which led to an exchange of shots. As a result of the confrontation, the commander of the Cuban ship was injured.
The official report stated that four individuals aboard the boat were killed and six others were injured. The injured were evacuated and received medical assistance, according to the statement.
One of the deceased has been identified
Journalists from Miami identified one of the deceased as Michel Ortega Casanova, while efforts are underway to identify the other three individuals who died during the confrontation.
Ortega Casanova had been in the United States for a short time and was residing in Tampa.
"The identities of the other three deceased have not yet been revealed," specified the journalist Daniel Benítez.
The Casa Cuba organization of Tampa described the deceased as "a patriot, a man committed to the cause of freedom, and a member of the Cuban Republican Party."
Casa Cuba de Tampa declared three days of mourning, with the flags at half-mast.
On his part, journalist Javier Díaz from Univisión warned about the slanders and manipulations by the Cuban regime regarding the armed incident that took place in Cayo Falcones.
"Those who went to Cuba are not terrorists," he stated. "They went to liberate our country."
The reporter explained that there were several groups in Miami that had been training for several months to carry out a strategic operation in Cuba.
"It appears they acted too quickly and did not plan for certain situations, and as a result, we have to address this unfortunate error, the confrontation with the Cuban authorities, in which at least four of them lost their lives and six are recovering in the hospital," he added.
Who are the injured in the shooting?
The Cuban government released the names of those who were injured in the incident.
In an informative expansion, the MININT indicated that the boat was carrying 10 armed individuals who, according to preliminary statements from those detained, intended to enter the national territory with "terrorist purposes".
It was reported that Amijail Sánchez González, Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, Conrado Galindo Sariol, José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló, Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara, and Roberto Azcorra Consuegra were detained.
The official statement indicated that all those involved are Cubans residing in the United States, and that some have criminal records. It also noted that two of the detainees were listed on national records linked to previous criminal investigations.
During the operation, authorities reported the seizure of assault rifles, handguns, homemade incendiary devices, bulletproof vests, telescopic sights, and camouflage uniforms.
The agency also reported the arrest in Cuban territory of Duniel Hernández Santos, who is linked to the reception of the group.
Additionally, the names of Amijail Sánchez González and Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez appear on the list that the Cuban regime updated last July and presented to the UN as part of its national register of individuals considered terrorists.
In that update, the authorities included 62 individuals and 20 entities based abroad, mostly in the United States, whom they accuse of promoting, financing, or organizing actions against the Cuban state and whose alleged impunity in U.S. territory has been denounced by Havana.
Investigations are ongoing, according to the official statement, to fully clarify the events.
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