The Cuban regime stated this Monday that the survivors of the armed confrontation that occurred in February near Cayo Falcones, in Villa Clara, confessed their involvement in the events and are cooperating with the investigations, while facing the possibility of receiving terrorism charges that, according to Cuban law, could include the death penalty.
The statements were made by Colonel Francisco Estrada Portales, an official of State Security from the Ministry of Interior (MININT), in statements to AP.
Estrada stated that the detainees admitted their involvement in the alleged armed operation and provided information that helped advance the investigation.
He also stated that the forensic analyses conducted on the seized weapons and explosives showed that they were in working condition.
However, AP warned that it could not independently verify the content of the recordings shown by the Cuban authorities nor the circumstances under which the alleged confessions were obtained.
The warning takes on particular significance due to previous reports from family members and activists regarding threats, alleged mistreatment, and difficulties in accessing those detained.
According to the colonel, the suspects could face charges related to terrorism, specifically for incidents involving lethal devices and explosives.
The , includes the death penalty for certain severe forms of terrorism, including some of the behaviors outlined in its article 170.
However, Estrada clarified that prosecutors had not yet requested specific penalties, according to AP.
Cuba maintains the death penalty in its legislation, although no executions have been reported since April 11, 2003, when three men were executed for the hijacking of a vessel in an attempt to reach the United States.
The executions were condemned by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (CIDH), which questioned the judicial guarantees of the process.
The new official statement refers to the incident that occurred on February 25, 2026, when a speedboat coming from the United States, with ten Cuban men on board, was intercepted by the Border Guard Troops near Cayo Falcones, off the northern coast of Villa Clara.
According to the regime's version, the occupants of the vessel were attempting to force their way into Cuban territory and fired upon a patrol boat that approached to intercept them.
The authorities stated that the head of the official vessel was injured and that the border guards responded with gunfire.
The boat was located approximately 1.6 kilometers northeast of Cayo Falcones, according to information gathered by AP.
The initial report released by Cuban authorities indicated that there were four deceased and six injured among the ten occupants of the vessel coming from Florida.
Subsequently, the Ministry of the Interior confirmed the death of Roberto Álvarez Ávila, one of the injured, who passed away on March 4 due to the injuries sustained during the confrontation. His death raised the number of fatalities to five.
As a result, subsequent reports raised the number of deceased to five and confirmed five survivors.
In addition to the arrests made following the maritime incident, Cuban authorities reported the arrest of one person on land, whom they attributed with alleged supporting roles for the group.
Estrada stated that the statements from those captured allowed for the identification of Amijail Sánchez González, a resident of the United States since 2016, as the person who allegedly fired the initial shots during the confrontation.
Sánchez had previously been included on a list of individuals identified by the regime as suspected terrorists.
His situation had already attracted attention after the incident in February, when it became known that Havana had identified him as a suspect of terrorist activities prior to his arrest.
Another individual mentioned by the colonel is Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, who is also on the Cuban list of people accused of terrorism.
The authorities showed AP recordings of statements from the suspects. In one of them, attributed to Cruz, the detainee claimed that the group intended to secure an area and encourage Cubans to overthrow the government.
But the U.S. agency made it clear that it could not verify whether those statements were made freely or confirm the circumstances of the interrogations.
The lack of verifiable guarantees surrounding the statements is one of the most delicate aspects of the case, especially given the severity of the penalties that could be imposed.
Reports about the living conditions of the survivors began months before Monday's announcement.
In June, family members and opposition organizations reported that the survivors were under threats and psychological pressure in the Combinado del Este prison in Havana.
Maritza Lugo, representative of the 30th of November Democratic Party Movement "Frank País," stated that those detained were under constant surveillance and facing extremely difficult conditions of confinement.
"They have been threatened with death, are under constant surveillance, and are subjected to ongoing psychological pressure," the activist reported.
Lugo also stated that Sánchez González had suffered blows during interrogations conducted at Villa Marista, with injuries that may have affected his hearing.
The activist also questioned the conditions under which the survivors may have been interviewed during the visit of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents to Cuba on April 1, to participate in the investigation into the confrontation.
According to reported by Maritza Lugo in June, the detainees were unable to speak privately with U.S. investigators because State Security agents were present during the interrogations.
According to their testimony, the detainees were unable to speak privately with the U.S. investigators due to the presence of State Security agents.
Doubts about his situation also reached the United Nations.
In March, the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearance requested that the Cuban authorities provide information regarding the whereabouts, legal status, and legal grounds for the detention of the survivors, following urgent actions initiated by Cubalex.
The organization had reported difficulties for family members and legal representatives in obtaining information about those arrested in the days following the incident.
The committee requested clarifications regarding the location of the detained individuals, the charges against them, and the documentation related to their deprivation of liberty.
In June, it was also reported, based on complaints from family members and activists, that the Cuban Prosecutor's Office charged the survivors with terrorism-related offenses.
On the other hand, Colonel Francisco Estrada Portales also referred to the weapons and equipment allegedly seized during the operation.
The MININT had previously displayed rifles, pistols, explosives, uniforms, boots, helmets, medical supplies, food, an electric generator, satellite communication equipment, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
According to the official, forensic analyses determined that the weapons and explosives were in good working condition and could be used to cause harm.
Finally, Estrada stated that Havana shared its findings with the United States, but as of this Monday, he had not received a response.
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