cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/43578877
Four people riding in a speedboat registered in the U.S. were killed Feb. 25 in a gunfight with Cuban government forces after entering the country’s waters, according to the Cuban Embassy in the U.S.
Crewmembers aboard a speedboat registered in Florida entered Cuban waters and opened fire on Cuban Ministry of the Interior forces when they approached the American vessel, the Cuban Embassy said in a statement. Aboard the Florida-registered vessel, four were killed and six were injured in the gunfight; the commander of the Ministry of the Interior vessel was wounded in the gunfight, Cuba said.
“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,” Cuban authorities said. “Investigations by the competent authorities continue in order to fully clarify the events.”
According to Cuban officials, the wounded crewmembers of the Florida-registered boat were evacuated for medical assistance.
To what end?
You lot seem to think this was some type of coup attempt, rather than some smugglers that got busted and tried to run.
Which I find very entertaining.
Because they’re fucking stupid and insane? Stop looking for reason.
Smugglers that were headed to Cuba, armed, and instigated hostilities with Cuban ships by firing upon them? That makes zero sense.
You seem to be having fun making up whatever fantasy scenarios that you like, so keep at it
Smugglers have reasons to be armed and sometimes are. In this case they got approached for a control, you can imagine that if they were carrying weapons they probably had some other illegal thing. At that point they could surrender to the authorities, but that would likely get them to jail. They were armed and thus shot on the ship in order to escape. Doesn’t seem too far fetched.
On the other hand: one boat with a few men and guns was directed to Cuba to make a coup. They got stopped by authorities, fired at them and escaped. This doesn’t make sense. How are you making a coup if you’re not able to pass the first control ship that approaches you?
They clearly weren’t smart but it’s obvious they had lethal intentions. If anything was trying to be smuggled it would have been confiscated, yet nothing of the sort was found. plus there are far easier ways to smuggle through legal channels than on an armed unauthorized speedboat. Nothing about the smuggling angle holds up
I’m not able to copy from the Facebook page, but apparently it was the same people on the boat saying they had the intention to infiltrate with terrorist intentions. That’s indeed a strange affirmation and was likely modified by the interior minister, but probably not too far from what they stated.
I was indeed mistaken.
Once the wounded are treated we may have more info on what exactly they were planning, and if any government backing was involved. But I think them being vigilantes makes more sense currently
It’s either a smuggling attempt, or the most hilariously bad attempt at guerrilla warfare I’ve ever heard of.
They injured one person.