The Cuban Ministry of the Interior (Minint) warned this Monday about the increase in incursions of speedboats from the United States as part of operations of human traffickingwith the result of situations of violence and aggressiveness that include the use of firearms.
According to notification, reviewed by the official gazette Granma13 speedboats with 23 crew members on board from the United States have been intercepted.
One of the reported events occurred on June 18, when a vessel was detected west of Cayo Fragoso, Villa Clara. It entered inland waters, towards the coast of Nazábal, municipality of Encrucijada, and was located at 3:28 p.m. by an interceptor boat of the Border Guard Troops.
#Cuba Informative note from the Ministry of the Interior on the incident of illegal departure from the country #MinintCuba #CubaForPeace https://t.co/I7t9IWsMbO #hashtag pic.twitter.com/bKpUrfWOuL
— MININT_CUBA (@minint_cuba) June 28, 2022
During the pursuit, one of the crew members of the foreign boat unexpectedly opened fire with a 5.56 mm caliber automatic rifle, due to which one of the officers was injured and the surface unit of the Border Guard Troops was damaged with multiple hits.
“The aggressor naval medium withdrew heading north at high speed, while the Cuban vessel ceased the pursuit and proceeded to evacuate the wounded crew member, who received medical assistance and underwent a surgical operation. At this time he is out of danger, ”says the note.
According to the source, the event was reported in real time by the United States Coast Guard Service. Thus, during the return of illegal Cuban emigrants by sea on the morning of June 27, one of the citizens involved in the attack was returned.
In addition, on the same day of 18 at 02:55 a Border Guard Troop surface unit intercepted another speedboat also from the United States, Dakota model, registration FL2670JG, three nautical miles north of Bahía Honda, Artemisa.
“At the moment they were going to be identified, the offenders fired shots at our naval environment. The crew responded to the attack. One of the aggressors was seriously injured, later dying,” he points out and adds: “During the inspection of the detained boat, evidence was found of the use of firearms by its crew and the presence of drugs. As a result of the shots fired, the unit of Border Guard Troops suffered several projectile impacts”
The United States Coast Guard Service was also notified of this fact. At the same time, point Granma, forces from the Villa Clara Minint managed to arrest a group of 30 people who were to be taken to the United States. The group is under investigation.
In addition to these two facts, the Cuban authorities reported that Forces from the Ministry of the Interior continue the search and rescue of migrants after the sinking of a boat with 15 people who were trying to leave the country illegally.
“In an informative note from the Headquarters of the Minint in the province of Mayabeque, it is stated that, in the early hours of June 22, members of the National Revolutionary Police detected a citizen on the coast, near the Santa Cruz del Norte thermoelectric plant, in Mayabeque, with sunburn and symptoms of dehydration.”
This person referred to being part of a group of 15 men who had jumped into the sea in a boat not suitable for navigation, through the Jibacoa area, on the night of June 20, with the aim of leaving the country. During the morning of the 21st, according to what he said, the boat had sunk a considerable distance from the coast.
Once this information was known, the Cuban forces mobilized for the rescue. Likewise, the review of the coastline was carried out by the Fire Department, other Minint forces, collaborators and the civilian population.
As a result of this operation, which is still going on, GranmaSo far six people have been assisted by specialized institutions.
The Minint denounced, once again, the irresponsible US policy on immigration.
For several months, the flow of irregular Cuban migrants seeking to enter the United States using the sea as routes or following different routes through various Central American countries such as Nicaragua, Panama and Honduras has increased significantly.
The Cuban government insists on demanding from the Washington Administration compliance with the migratory agreements signed between the two countries, according to which the United States must deliver 20,000 visas per year, and Havana affirms that this figure has not been executed for four consecutive years.
The Havana Executive also attributes the increase in illegal migration to the validity of the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966, which allows Cubans to apply for permanent residence in the United States after one year and one day of remaining in that country.
Last April, recalls the agency Ephdelegations from Cuba and the US resumed their bilateral dialogue on migration issues in Washington, the first at a high level since the arrival of Democratic President Joe Biden to the White House.
With information from Granma and Efe.
