Cuba US Terrorism Row Grows After Deadly Florida Keys Boat Raid

Cuba US Terrorism Row : Cuba has accused individuals based in the United States of helping organise an armed operation against the island, following a deadly speedboat incident on February 25. Cuban authorities say their investigation found that people who allegedly helped prepare the operation remain in the US, while the detained suspects face terrorism charges.

According to the investigation detailed by Cuban official media on Monday, the event included ten Cuban exiles who sailed by boat from the Florida Keys into Cuba while carrying guns, ammunition, and communication equipment. A gunfight at sea resulted in the deaths of five persons and the arrest of the others. There were several injured people in custody.

According to Cuban officials, the investigation shows a larger network that reportedly provided weapons acquisition, transportation, and training for the operation. Tensions between Washington and Havana have increased as a result of the charges, even if the intelligence presented does not independently support the allegations made against individuals purportedly engaged.

Cuba US Terrorism Dispute Over Florida Training

According to Cuban prosecutor Edward Roberts, several persons and groups in the United States reportedly furnished property, planned land and sea travel, and assisted in the acquisition and storage of weaponry used in the operation.

Cuban officials have charged Maritza Lugo Fernandez, a Cuban national living in Florida, of assisting in the alleged scheme. Some detained individuals allegedly informed authorities that they underwent instruction at Lugo Fernandez’s Florida property.

She is the leader of the Partido Democrático 30 de Noviembre, or Democratic Party of November 30 in Florida.

Lugo Fernandez dismissed the charges. In a statement published in Cuban official media, she denied the charges and stated that she had faced similar claims from the Cuban government for over 40 years.

Cuban officials stated that their probe includes testimonies and admissions from individuals detained following the February event. They said that other persons accused of assisting in the operation remain outside Cuba and have not been apprehended.

The US Embassy in Cuba and the US Department of Justice did not respond to requests for comment on the charges. Cuba and the FBI had previously stated that they were helping with the probe.

Cuba US Tensions Rise Over Alleged Armed Plot

According to Cuban officials, numerous detained suspects said that the plan included synchronised attacks on police and border guard units in Matanzas, a province east of Havana.

According to investigators, the purported goal was to incite an armed revolt and prompt a US military response. The allegations were made as part of Cuba’s probe into the February 25 boat incursion.

The group was reportedly carrying nearly 13,000 rounds of ammunition, 11 rifles, 15 handguns, Molotov cocktails, a VHF radio and Starlink satellite communication equipment. Five of the 10 people involved were killed during the incident, while the surviving suspects remain in custody, according to Cuban officials.

The charges come as ties between Cuba and the United States are tense. Washington has stepped up pressure on the Cuban government with new sanctions and a nine-month de facto petroleum blockade, contributing to the island’s catastrophic economic crisis.

The United States has described Cuba’s government as corrupt and stated that it wants a change in leadership. Havana’s fresh charges are yet another cause of contention between the two countries.

The investigation has established Cuba’s official account of the incident, but the allegations against those believed to have aided the operation in the United States remain unproven. Lugo Fernandez denies involvement, and US authorities have not officially addressed the charges in the information presented.