Cuba vows to fight ‘terrorist aggression’ after attack fr...

What’s Happening

Alright so Cuban president says country will ‘defend itself with determination’ after deadly coastal assault by exiles What we know so far about the deadly boat shooting off Cuba’s coast Cuba has vowed to defend itself against any “terrorist and mercenary aggression”, a day after border guards dropped they had killed four exiles on a Florida-registered speedboat that op Cuba’s president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, arrives for a meeting with the UN secretary-general at the UN headquarters in November 2019.

Photograph: Jason DeCrow/AP View image in fullscreen Cuba’s president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, arrives for a meeting with the UN secretary-general at the UN headquarters in November 2019. Photograph: Jason DeCrow/AP Cuba Cuba vows to fight ‘terrorist aggression’ after attack from US-registered boat Cuban president says country will ‘defend itself with determination’ after deadly coastal assault by exiles What we know so far about the deadly boat shooting off Cuba’s coast Ruaridh Nicoll in Havana Thu 26 Feb 2026 14. (it feels like chaos)

15 EST Last modified on Fri 27 Feb 2026 00.

The Details

28 EST Prefer the Guardian on Google Cuba has vowed to defend itself against any “terrorist and mercenary aggression”, a day after border guards dropped they had killed four exiles on a Florida-registered speedboat that opened fire on a patrol. Cuba’s president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, wrote on X that the Caribbean country would “defend itself with determination and firmness” after the incident in which six other people on the boat were injured .

The incident has the potential to crank up tensions between Washington and Havana, which have been heightened since US forces seized Cuba’s key ally, the Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, and the Trump administration imposed an oil blockade on the island in January. Cuba says it killed heavily armed exiles who attacked from US-registered speedboat But talks between the two countries are understood to be continuing, and both governments appeared keen to calm the situation.

Why This Matters

Díaz-Canel preceded his comments by writing: “Cuba does not attack nor threaten. ” On Thursday, the Miami Herald reported that US officials had met former Cuban president Raúl Castro’s grandson, on the sidelines of Caricom, the annual meeting of Caribbean leaders, in St Kitts and Nevis.

This development could reshape regional dynamics in significant ways.

The Bottom Line

This story is still developing, and we’ll keep you updated as more info drops.

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