Ten Cuban Nationals Aboard U.S.-Linked Speedboat Intended “Armed Infiltration For Terrorist Purposes,” Cuba Claims

The Cuban Embassy’s official X account says a Florida-registered speedboat carrying 10 Cuban nationals residing in the U.S. entered Cuban territorial waters armed with assault rifles, body armor, improvised explosive devices, camouflage uniforms, and telescopic sights, in what the government says was a “foiled armed infiltration” into the Caribbean island nation.

Late Wednesday afternoon, the embassy’s account reported that Cuban border guards aboard a vessel had fired on a U.S.-linked speedboat off Cuba’s north coast, killing four people and injuring six others.

By late Wednesday, the embassy provided additional details about what the group of “Cuban nationals residing in the United States” was allegedly attempting to do, describing it as an effort to “carry out an infiltration for terrorist purposes.”

Here’s what the embassy said:

Participants in Foiled Armed Infiltration in Villa Clara Identified

As part of the ongoing investigation into the armed attack against a patrol vessel of the Border Guard Troops of the Ministry of the Interior, in the northeastern area of the El Pino channel, at Cayo Falcones, municipality of Corralillo, Villa Clara province, the following update is provided:

Authorities have confirmed that the intercepted speedboat, registered in the State of Florida under number FL7726SH, was carrying 10 armed individuals who, according to preliminary statements by those detained, intended to carry out an infiltration for terrorist purposes.

The following items were seized: assault rifles, handguns, improvised explosive devices (Molotov cocktails), body armor, telescopic sights, and camouflage uniforms.

. . .

All participants are Cuban nationals residing in the United States. Most have prior records involving criminal and violent activity…

Participants in Foiled Armed Infiltration in Villa Clara Identified

As part of the ongoing investigation into the armed attack against a patrol vessel of the Border Guard Troops of the Ministry of the Interior, in the northeastern area of the El Pino channel, at Cayo Falcones,… pic.twitter.com/s9IFmUkqvk

— Cuban Embassy in US (@EmbaCubaUS) February 26, 2026

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented on the incident, saying, “What I’m telling you is we’re going to find out exactly what happened and who was involved. We’re not going to just take what somebody else tells us. I’m very confident we will be able to know the story independently.”

SECRETARY RUBIO on CUBA: What I’m telling you is we’re going to find out exactly what happened and who was involved. We’re not going to just take what somebody else tells us.

I’m very confident we will be able to know the story independently. pic.twitter.com/965ul2lC8b

— Department of State (@StateDept) February 26, 2026

The Trump administration’s current posture toward Cuba is geared toward increasing pressure on Havana and ridding the island of communism. As noted yesterday, the key question is how the administration frames the narrative around the maritime incident, whether it uses it to shape public opinion, and whether this marks the early stages of a new narrative that supports future intervention to topple the communists in Havana.