CUBA’S MILITARY FIRES ON AMERICAN BOAT KILLING 4 WOUNDING 6

Written by Michael Thervil

CUBA’S MILITARY FIRES ON AMERICAN BOAT KILLING 4 WOUNDING 6 | SATELLITE IMAGERY PROVIDED BY GOOGLE EARTH

[Cuba military America boat] Despite being heavily targeted with sanctions and an embargo, the Caribbean country of Cuba and its military were forced to return open fire on a U.S. Florida registered speedboat that illegally entered their coastal waters. The Cuban government stated that the passengers on the vessel both maneuvered aggressively ignoring commands to self-identify and began shooting at the Cuban border troops severely wounding a Cuban Officer. Of the total number of 10 passengers on board 6 were wounded and taken to a Cuban hospital, and four were killed as a result. Cuba lies an estimated 90 miles from the southern tip of Florida.

The Cuban government stated to the Press that the passengers aboard the vessel were Cuban nationals who resided in the U.S. who “intended to carry out an infiltration for terrorist purposes”. The Cuban government also stated that “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”. Backing their claim of the passengers being terrorists, the Cuban military discovered explosives and various weapons consisting of handguns and rifles.

While shootouts are incredibly rare amongst the high seas this latest assault on the sovereignty of the island nation of Cuba comes at a time where geopolitical tensions are the highest it's been between the Americans and Cubans since the American initiated the decades long embargo on Cuba. The Americans latest rounds of sanctions on Cuba targeted its oil and gas sector that has both left millions of Cubans without adequate power and electricity as well as severely impacting its transportation and logistical sectors within the country. Russia, a long-time strategic partner of Cuba has defied the American application of an embargo on the country and sent humanitarian aid and supplies to the country.

Florida lawmakers and the U.S. federal government have launched an investigation into the matter to establish if members of the vessel were U.S. citizens or not.