US Vice President JD Vance Monitors Speedboat Shooting Incident in Cuban Waters
US Vice President, JD Vance, confirmed that the White House is currently closely monitoring the incident involving Cuban border patrol forces and a Florida-registered speedboat. The incident, which occurred in Cuban waters on Wednesday local time, reportedly resulted in four deaths and six injuries.
Speaking at an event at the White House, JD Vance stated that he had received initial reports from Foreign Minister Marco Rubio, who is currently on an official visit to the Caribbean region. Although information is still limited, Vance stressed the US government’s vigilance regarding the situation.
“(This) is certainly a situation that we are monitoring, hopefully it is not as bad as we fear. However, I cannot say more, because I do not know more,” said Vance.
The incident began when Cuban border patrol forces approached the 24-foot boat in the Falcones Cay area, Villa Clara Province, about 100 miles from Florida. According to a statement from the Cuban Ministry of Interior, the boat, registration number FL7726SH, entered their territorial waters illegally.
The Cuban side claims that someone from the speedboat fired first, injuring a border patrol commander. This triggered retaliatory fire from Cuban forces, resulting in the deaths of four people on board the boat.
While the White House has taken a cautious approach, officials in the state of Florida have expressed strong reactions and demanded full accountability from Havana. US Congressman from Florida, Carlos A. Gimenez, urged an immediate investigation to determine if any US citizens were among the victims.
“US authorities must determine whether any of the victims are US citizens or legal permanent residents and establish what actually happened,” Gimenez said.
In a similar vein, Senator Rick Scott called the incident “very concerning,” while Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has instructed local prosecutors to assist federal authorities in the investigation.
This bloody clash comes amid rising diplomatic tensions between Washington and Havana. The US is currently imposing a blockade on almost all oil shipments to the island, which has triggered the worst economic crisis for Cuba in decades.
In response to the incident, the Cuban government reiterated its firm stance in protecting its territorial waters.
“Given the current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its willingness to protect its territorial waters, based on the fact that national defense is a fundamental pillar for the Cuban state in order to protect sovereignty and stability in the region,” the official statement from Cuban authorities said.
As of this report, the investigation is still ongoing to uncover the motive for the presence of the boat and to identify all the victims involved in the tragic incident. (CNN/Z-2)