A violent confrontation just a mile off the Cuban coast has left four people dead, including a Florida-based truck driver, and ignited a diplomatic firestorm. What began as the reported theft of a 24-foot fishing boat from the Florida Keys ended Wednesday morning in a lethal exchange of gunfire near Cayo Falcones, an incident the Cuban Ministry of the Interior is labeling a foiled “terrorist infiltration.”
The vessel, a 1981 Pro-Line center console, was reportedly stolen from Big Pine Key by an employee of the owner. While the Cuban regime claims the boat’s occupants opened fire first—wounding a Cuban commander—officials in Florida and Washington are viewing that narrative with intense skepticism.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has launched a state-level probe, stating that “the Cuban government cannot be trusted” and pledging to hold the regime accountable.
Among those killed was Michel Ortega Casanova, a Florida truck driver. His brother described him as being on an “obsessive” mission for the liberation of Cuba, though family members expressed shock at the news of a planned operation. Havana has identified several other men involved, alleging they have “criminal histories” or ties to anti-regime movements, including former political prisoner Conrado Galindo Sariol.
READ: Stolen Florida Boat At Center Of Deadly Shootout With Cuban Coast Guard
The Cuban government further claims to have seized an arsenal of assault rifles and Molotov cocktails from the stolen craft, though these claims remain unverified by independent sources.
The credibility of the Cuban report was immediately challenged by a bizarre development involving one of the men Havana claimed to have “detained.”
Roberto Azcorra Consuegra, named by the regime as being in custody, actually called a South Florida news station from his own home to mock the report, proving he was never on the vessel. This discrepancy has fueled calls from U.S. leaders for a transparent, independent investigation.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is monitoring the situation alongside Vice President JD Vance, noted that “it is highly unusual to see shootouts in open sea like that.”
Rubio emphasized that the U.S. will conduct its own investigation rather than relying on Havana’s version of events. Meanwhile, Representative Carlos Gimenez described the incident as a “massacre” and demanded a full accounting of the U.S. citizens and legal residents involved.
As the FBI and Florida authorities piece together how a stolen renovation worker’s getaway boat turned into a focal point for international conflict, six survivors remain in Cuban hands. Their fate, and the truth behind what happened in the early morning hours off the Cuban coast, remains uncertain as tensions in the Florida Straits reach a breaking point.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
