MIAMI, United States. – Cuban activist exiled in the United States Ramón Saúl Sánchez called for an independent investigation into the incident that occurred this Wednesday in front of Cayo Falcones, in Villa Claraafter the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) of Cuba reported a confrontation between border guard troops and a boat with Florida registration that left “four attackers killed and six injured.”
Sánchez stressed that, for now, “the only source we have is the Cuban regime,” and supported “an independent investigation, the United States or the United Nations or whoever.”
In an interview with journalist Camila Acosta, from CubaNetSánchez stated that the “characterization” of the event and those involved “is typical of the regime” and maintained that the way in which the vessel was acted upon was “brutal” and “outside of protocol.”
“Almost everyone who was on board the boat appears to have been hit by bullets fired from the regime boat: there were four dead and six injured out of a total of 10 people,” he stressed.
Sánchez raised doubts about whether the border guards “were waiting” for the boat and suggested that the detention in Cuba of a person identified by the MININT as the recipient of the alleged infiltration may have occurred before the episode.
“What catches our attention is that apparently the person that the regime detained in Cuba detained him before the disembarkation or the attempted disembarkation,” he said, after adding that it is not known if that person or another person alerted the authorities to prepare the response.
In the same exchange, the activist questioned the official version that describes the occupiers as an armed group with “terrorist purposes” and compared it with the civilian profile of a small boat, in accordance with his assessment. “Even if someone on the boat fired, they were all civilians,” he argued.
Sánchez maintained that, if the crew attempted an armed incursion, that would respond to the discontent and frustration of some nationals with the political situation. “A group of Cubans frustrated with the Cuban process, the slowness, the complexity, the apparent rapprochement with the regime and not for the freedom of Cuba, etc., has led to a group of Cubans forming this guerrilla group and wanting to go off to supposedly liberate Cuba,” he said.
The interviewee insisted that the Cuban authorities must guarantee the integrity of the survivors and allow third parties access to clarify what happened. “What is clear is that the regime must know that it must treat these people with respect for their lives,” he stated, and warned that since the incident occurred, according to the official version, one mile from the coast, access by external investigators would be difficult if the Cuban Government does not authorize it.
In the conversation, Acosta and Sánchez discussed history of failed operations and cases of infiltration in exile. In that context, the activist mentioned experiences linked to espionage and instigation within anti-Castro organizations, and mentioned the possibility that the current episode had been “instigated by someone” for the convenience of the Cuban Government, although he clarified the speculative nature of that idea: “This is my speculation and I take responsibility for it.”
The MININT first reported that an “offending” boat with Florida registration had opened fire on a border guard unit that approached to identify it, and that the commander of the Cuban boat was injured.
Hours later, the Ministry specified that the boat was transporting “10 armed people” with the intention of “carrying out an infiltration for terrorist purposes,” listed weapons and artifacts allegedly occupied, identified six detainees and said that work is being done to identify other deceased.
Sánchez insisted that, without external verification, the available information continues to depend on the official version.
