At least four people died and six were injured when a U.S.-flagged boat was intercepted by Cuban border troops one nautical mile from the coast, Cuba's Ministry of the Interior (Minint) reported, and confirmed by Argentina's Noticias Argentinas news agency. According to the official report, the incident occurred on the morning of February 25 when a fast infringing boat with Florida registration (folio FL7726SH) was detected approaching one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel, in Cayo Falcones, Corralillo municipality, Villa Clara province. As a surface unit of the Minint's Border Guard Troops, consisting of five personnel, approached the American vessel to identify it, fire was opened on the border guards from the infringing boat. In the exchange of fire, the commander of the Cuban vessel was injured. The official communiqué states that as a result of the confrontation, four aggressors were killed and six were injured, who were evacuated and received medical assistance. The Cuban government reaffirmed its disposition to protect its territorial waters, highlighting that national defense is a fundamental pillar of the Cuban state to safeguard its sovereignty and regional stability, the Minint note concludes.
