Cuban forces killed four people who opened fire from a speedboat with Florida tags, in an incident that could worsen an already tense stand-off with the US.
The vessel approached within a nautical mile off the coast of Villa Clara early on Wednesday, Cuba’s Interior Ministry said in a statement.
When border patrol officers approached to identify the passengers, the occupants started shooting at them, injuring the commander. Six others on the speedboat were wounded and are being provided with medical care. The Interior Ministry added that the matter was under investigation.
The New York Times quoted a US official saying that no US Naval or Coast Guard boat was involved, but that it was a US civilian vessel trying to get relatives out of Cuba.
"Faced with the current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its commitment to protecting its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defence is a fundamental pillar for the Cuban state in safeguarding its sovereignty and stability in the region," a statement from the Cuban government said.
Florida Congressman Carlos Gimenez in a statement on X called the incident a “massacre” and demanded an investigation to determine whether any of the victims were US citizens or “legal residents".
The state's Attorney General, James Uthmeier, said he was ordering prosecutors to open an investigation in conjunction with other state and federal law-enforcement partners, saying the Cuban version of events could not be trusted.
American forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on January 3, removing a key Cuban ally from power. Since removing Mr Maduro, President Donald Trump’s administration has turned its attention to the communist-run island as the US seeks to consolidate its influence in Latin America.
The US has effectively imposed a naval blockade on Cuba, dramatically reducing its access to fuel. It has pressured other nations to stop using Cuban health workers, which generates much-needed hard currency for the island, particularly now that its tourism industry has taken a hit.
Mr Trump has also remarked about the collapse of the six-decade-old regime, although he appeared to be providing some relief for Cuba as recently as Tuesday, when the government indicated that it would allow fuel imports for private businesses on the island.
The incident occurred the same day as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Saint Kitts and Nevis for meetings with Caribbean leaders. The summit started on Tuesday, with the group's departing chairman and Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness warning of a migration crisis due to Cuba’s worsening conditions and calling for Washington to hold constructive talks with Havana.
Cuba has been a one-party state since the 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro toppled a US-backed dictator. The Caribbean nation of about 10 million relied on support from the Soviet Union until its collapse in 1991, and had until recently been relying on subsidised Venezuelan oil to meet its energy needs.
