Cuban forces killed four people who had opened fire from a speedboat with Florida tags, an incident with the potential to escalate an already tense standoff with the US.
The vessel approached within one nautical mile off the coast of Villa Clara early Wednesday, Cuba’s Interior Ministry said in a statement. When security forces approached to identify the passengers, the occupants started shooting at border patrol, injuring the commander of the military vessel. Six others on the speedboat were wounded and are being provided with medical care.
US Secretary of State