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A political ally of Michel Ortega Casanova, one of the four residents of Florida who died in a shootout with the Cuban coast guard, told AFP that the deceased wanted to return to the Island to "fight against the regime."
Wilfredo Beyra, head of the Cuban Republican Party in Tampa, to which Michel belonged, stated that he often spoke of his intention to free his homeland.
"Their aim was to go and fight against a narco-tyrannical, criminal, and murderous government to see if that would provoke the people to rise up," he revealed.
The political leader explained that he had warned him that it was not the right time to undertake such an action, but that he had promised him that he would act "at any moment."
Havana indicated that a fast boat coming from the United States entered Cuban territorial waters with 10 people on board, and that following a confrontation with the Border Guard, four died and the other six were injured.
Among the group were two Americans: Michel Ortega and one of the six injured. A Trump administration official confirmed that this American citizen is receiving medical attention in Cuba.
Beyra also communicated that in Florida there are several groups that "openly declare they are willing, through military training, to fight for the freedom of their homeland."
He also noted that he knows one of the injured identified by Havana, Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, whom he said he had seen at a political event.
A patriot, not a terrorist
Michel Ortega Casanova, a 54-year-old truck driver with over 20 years in the United States, was the first of the four deceased whose identity became publicly known.
The Tampa-based organization Casa Cuba described him as "a patriot" and declared three days of mourning with flags at half-staff.
His brother, Misael Ortega Casanova, questioned the official version spread by the regime that the 10 Cubans were "terrorists."
In statements to journalist Mario Pentón from Martí Noticias, he claimed that he was unaware of any plans set by his brother and questioned whether he had left with the intention of intervening militarily on the Island.
Misael acknowledged that Michel had political concerns and was a member of the Republican Party, but denied that he was someone extremist or with intentions of taking up arms to intervene in Cuba.
He stated that he owned his home, was married, and had two children: one in Spain and the other in Lakeland. "A normal boy," he emphasized.
He also recounted that on one occasion, Michel mentioned traveling to Cuba to provide aid to his home municipality, but not to carry out an armed action.
On its part, the Republican Party of Cuba, to which the deceased belonged, issued a statement in which it distanced itself from the action taken by the 10 Cubans who left in the boat from the United States.
The organization stated that its work is strictly political and that it does not guide armed actions nor exert control over the individual decisions of its members. It confirmed that Michel Ortega Casanova belonged to the party but emphasized that it was completely unaware of his intentions or involvement in the incident.
The alleged clash between the boat and the Cuban Border Guard troops occurred on Wednesday in Cayo Falcones, in the municipality of Corralillo, Villa Clara, in the northeastern area of the El Pino canal.
The Ministry of the Interior reported that most of the occupants had a history in Cuba of "criminal and violent activities." A U.S. official stated that some of them had criminal records.
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