Roberto Álvarez Ávila died March 4 from injuries sustained in a Feb. 26 clash between Cuban soldiers and a Florida-flagged speedboat whose passengers allegedly opened fire on troops off Cuba’s north coast, the island’s interior ministry announced Thursday, raising the death toll from the incident to five.
The shooting, in which Cuba says soldiers killed four people and wounded six aboard a vessel carrying armed U.S.-based Cubans it accused of attempting to infiltrate the island, has deepened tensions between Havana and Washington at a moment when Cuba’s economy faces new pressure following a U.S. military operation that ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
HAVANA — Cuba said a fifth person has died from injuries sustained in a Feb. 26 shootout involving a Florida-flagged speedboat whose passengers allegedly opened fire on soldiers off the island’s north coast.
Roberto Álvarez Ávila died March 4, Cuba’s interior ministry announced Thursday. The ministry said the remaining injured detainees “continue to receive specialized medical care according to their health status.”
What Cuba says happened
Cuban authorities said soldiers confronted a speedboat carrying 10 people as the vessel approached the island on Feb. 26. The passengers, according to Cuba’s account, were armed Cubans living in the United States who were attempting to infiltrate the island and “unleash terrorism.” Cuba said its soldiers killed four people and wounded six others in the exchange.
The confrontation occurred approximately 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) northeast of Cayo Falcones, off Cuba’s north coast, authorities said. The Associated Press reported it was unable to readily verify the boat’s Florida registration number because boat registrations are not public in Florida.
Terrorism charges and weapons
Cuba filed terrorism charges against six suspects from the vessel earlier in the week. The government displayed items it said were seized from the boat: a dozen high-powered weapons, more than 12,800 pieces of ammunition, and 11 pistols.
“The statements made by the detainees themselves, together with a series of investigative procedures, reinforce the evidence against them,” the interior ministry said. The ministry added that “new elements are being obtained that establish the involvement of other individuals based in the U.S.”
Broader tensions
The shooting threatens to deepen strained relations between Cuba and U.S. President Donald Trump. Cuba’s economy had been largely sustained by Venezuelan oil, a supply now in doubt following a U.S. military operation that deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.