James Uthmeier orders investigation into deadly confrontation in waters near Cuba

Attorney General James Uthmeier is ordering an investigation into an international incident involving a Florida vessel in Cuban waters that resulted in at least four deaths and six injuries.

Uthmeier announced on his X account that he’s aware that a speedboat registered in Florida was operating in waters 1 mile northeast of the El Pino channel in the Cayo Falcones Corralillo municipality in the Cuban province of Villa Clara. Uthmeier referenced a statement from the Cuban Embassy in the U.S. relayed by U.S. Rep. Carlos Giménez, a Miami Republican.

“The dictatorship in #Cuba has just attacked a boat from Florida & murdered those on board. This regime must be relegated to the dust bin of history!” Gimenez said on his social media account.

“I’ve directed the Office of Statewide Prosecution to work with our federal, state and law enforcement partners to begin an investigation,” Uthmeier added.

According to the account provided by the Cuban Ministry of the Interior, the speedboat was registered in Florida. Cuban officials posted the registration number as verification. The official Cuban account claims the vessel approached the island nation, then Cuban Border Guard Troops of the Ministry of the Interior confronted the occupants.

“When a surface unit of the Border Guard Troops of the Ministry of the Interior, carrying five service members, approached the vessel for identification, the crew of the violating speedboat opened fire on the Cuban personnel, resulting in the injury of the commander of the Cuban vessel,” the Cuban Ministry of the Interior statement explained.

That’s when the confrontation turned lethal.

“As a consequence of the confrontation, as of the time of this report, four aggressors on the foreign vessel were killed and six were injured. The injured individuals were evacuated and received medical assistance,” the Cuban account said.

The names of those killed and injured have not been released. It is not clear exactly where they are from. The origin of the boat is the only detailed information that has been released by the Cuban government.

Uthmeier said he has his suspicions of the explanation from Cuban authorities.

“The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable,” Uthmeier said.

The Cuban Ministry of the Interior statement said Cuba was defending its national autonomy.

“In the face of the 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,” the statement said.

Cuban government officials added that investigations are ongoing and they are seeking to clarify what happened during the incident.