Cuba-US Speedboat Clash Kills Four

Cuban government forces engaged in a deadly shootout with a Florida-registered speedboat carrying ten armed expatriates near Falcones Cay. The Cuban Interior Ministry reported that the speedboat opened fire on a Cuban border patrol unit, which returned fire, killing four individuals, including Michel Ortega Casanova, and wounding six others. Cuban authorities identified some of the individuals as anti-government Cubans previously wanted for plotting terrorist attacks. The incident occurred amid heightened tensions between Cuba and the United States, primarily due to the U.S. tightening its embargo and the recent capture of Nicolás Maduro, a key Cuban ally, by U.S. forces. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed skepticism about Cuba's initial reports and stated that the United States would conduct its own investigation. Florida politicians, including Attorney General James Uthmeier and Representative Carlos A. Giménez, have also called for separate investigations into the matter.