Secretary of State Marco Rubio held back his judgment when addressing the shootout between Cuba’s coast guard and a U.S.-registered speedboat. The secretary called the situation “highly unusual” and emphasized the need for the U.S. to evaluate the facts of the incident before giving its response.
While speaking with reporters in Saint Kitt on Wednesday, Rubio said the U.S. was “going to have our own information” on the incident, and it would be evaluated to determine what occurred. He also said, “There are a number of things that could have happened,” but refused to speculate on various scenarios.
“Suffice it to say, it is highly unusual to see shootouts in the open sea like that. It’s not something that happens every day. It’s something, frankly, that hasn’t happened with Cuba in a very long time. But we’re going to find out,” Rubio said. “We’re not going to base our conclusions on what they’ve told us. And I’m very, very confident that we will know the full story of what happened here, and we will know it soon. And then, you know, we’ll respond appropriately based on what that information tells us.”
One reporter asked about the possible consequences for Cuba if those on the boat were Americans, but Rubio would not give an answer, saying there was more analysis of the facts that had to be done.
Vice President JD Vance confirmed to reporters on Wednesday that Rubio had briefed him on the situation. Similarly to Rubio, Vance said several details remained unknown and the U.S was closely monitoring the situation.
“Hopefully it’s not as bad as we fear it could be, but I can’t say more because I just don’t know more,” Vance said.
On Wednesday, Cuba’s Interior Ministry said the country’s coast guard shot four dead and left six others wounded in a shootout with a U.S.-registered speedboat. The ministry also said the speedboat was carrying 10 “armed individuals who, according to preliminary statements from the detainees, intended to carry out an infiltration for terrorist purposes.”
The Cuban Embassy in the U.S. said in a statement that the speedboat crew fired on the Cuban personnel who boarded the vessel. It added that the commander of the Cuban watercraft was injured in the shootout.
“In the face of current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its determination to protect its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar of the Cuban State in safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region,” the embassy’s statement on X read.
The embassy added that “investigations by the competent authorities continue in order to fully clarify the events.”
Cuba’s Interior Ministry said personnel found “assault rifles, handguns, handcrafted explosive devices (Molotov cocktails), bulletproof vests, telescopic lookers and camouflage uniforms” aboard the vessel.
Seven of the men involved have been identified, the ministry said, including: Amijail Sánchez González, Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, Conrado Galindo Sariol, José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló, Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara and Roberto Azcorra Consuegra. Additionally, among the deceased was Michel Ortega Casanova.
The ministry said it is working to confirm the identities of three others. It also claimed that those aboard the speedboat were Cubans living in the U.S. and that many had “a known history of criminal and violent activity.”
According to data retrieved by Fox News Digital, the vessel, registered in Florida with number FL7726SH, is a 24-foot Pro-Line boat.
A source told Fox News that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement contacted the Miami-based owner, who confirmed the vessel had been docked at a marina in the Florida Keys. After being notified by authorities, the owner — who is not considered a suspect — reported the boat stolen.
Fox News Digital’s Emma Bussey contributed to this report.
