On the morning of February 25, near the El Pino canal in Villa Clara province, an incident occurred involving an American boat registered in Florida that violated Cuban maritime borders.
When Cuban border guards approached the vessel, the crew of the boat began shooting. As a result of this shootout, four people from the American boat were killed, and another six were injured. The injured were evacuated and are receiving medical assistance. The commander of the Cuban vessel was also injured.
Cuban officials emphasized: "In the face of current challenges, the country reaffirms its determination to defend its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is the foundation of the Cuban state and stability in the region."
This incident occurred against the backdrop of deteriorating relations between Cuba and the United States, which have nearly completely halted oil supplies to the island, leading to the onset of a fuel crisis.
Nevertheless, on February 25, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced its intention to allow the resale of a portion of Venezuelan oil to support the private sector in Cuba through special licenses.
