"Cuba's president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, wrote on X that the Caribbean country will defend itself with determination and firmness after the incident in which six other people on the boat were injured. The incident has the potential to crank up tensions between Washington and Havana, which have been at odds since US forces seized Cuba's key ally, the Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, and the Trump administration imposed an oil blockade on the island in January."
"But talks between the two countries are understood to continue, and both governments appeared keen to calm the situation. Diaz-Canel preceded his comments by writing: Cuba does not attack nor threaten. On Thursday, the Miami Herald reported that US officials had met with former Cuban president Raul Castro's grandson, on the sidelines of Caricom, the annual meeting of Caribbean leaders, in St Kitts and Nevis."
"The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, who was attending the Caricom session, said the US government had nothing to do with the incident and told reporters: We're still gathering facts. The assault happened among a network of keys east of the tourist beach of Varadero off the island's northern coast, according to Cuba's ministry of the interior."
Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel declared the country would defend itself with determination after border guards killed four exiles aboard a Florida-registered speedboat that allegedly opened fire on a patrol boat. Six others were injured in the incident near Varadero's northern coast. The confrontation heightens tensions between Washington and Havana, already strained by US seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and an oil blockade imposed in January. However, both governments appear motivated to de-escalate. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated the US had no involvement and said officials were gathering facts. Reports indicate US officials met with Raul Castro's grandson at a Caribbean leaders meeting, suggesting ongoing diplomatic engagement despite the incident.
#cuba-us-relations #border-security-incident #diplomatic-tensions #caribbean-politics #armed-confrontation
Read at www.theguardian.com
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