Deadly Boat Incident Highlights Florida Anti-Cuba Groups

Tensions rise as Cuban exiles in Florida continue efforts to undermine communist government

Feb. 28, 2026 at 12:33am

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A stolen boat loaded with weapons and 10 people aboard departed the Florida Keys, but gunfire erupted before it reached Cuba. The Cuban government claims the men were terrorists trying to infiltrate the country, while U.S. officials cast doubt on the account. The incident shines a light on the deep-rooted freedom movement among Cuban exiles in South Florida, including fringe elements who have long sought a violent overthrow of the island's communist leadership.

Why it matters

This incident reflects the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Cuba, as well as the continued efforts by some Cuban exile groups in Florida to undermine the communist government in Havana. It highlights the risks of such confrontational tactics and the potential for violence, even as the influence of these anti-Castro groups has waned since the Cold War era.

The details

According to reports, a stolen boat with 10 people aboard, loaded with weapons, departed the Florida Keys but gunfire erupted before it reached Cuba. The Cuban government claims the men were terrorists trying to infiltrate the country, but U.S. officials have cast doubt on this account. The incident is seen as part of a long history of armed raids, publicity stunts, and protests by hardline Cuban exile groups in South Florida, some of whom are former guerrilla fighters who broke with Fidel Castro after he turned Cuba into a Soviet satellite. While such confrontational tactics have faded since the Cold War, the influence of these groups continues to shape U.S. policy toward Cuba.

  • The fatal shooting broke out on Wednesday, February 28, 2026.

The players

Nicolás Maduro

The former president of Venezuela, whose ouster has led the Trump administration to take a more aggressive stance toward Cuba, Cuba's longstanding ideological nemesis in Latin America.

Marco Rubio

The U.S. Secretary of State who rose to prominence surrounded by the Cuban exile politics of Miami and was quick to cast doubt on the Cuban account of the incident.

Antonio Tang

A member of the anti-Castro group Alpha 66 who fled Cuba and went into exile in Canada in 1981, training in weapons and guerrilla tactics with the group.

Ernesto Díaz

The deputy secretary general of Alpha 66, who described the 10 men as "martyrs" and said their actions were "an act of compassion for a Cuban people who are suffering."

Enrique Garcia

A former Cuban intelligence officer who said a well-funded Cuban intelligence department spent decades co-opting armed resistance groups, sometimes funding weapon purchases and driving unsuspecting exiles into plots.

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What they’re saying

“It is an act of compassion for a Cuban people who are suffering. It was a sacrifice that has demonstrated the nobility and sensitivity towards freedom in Cuba.”

— Ernesto Díaz, Deputy Secretary General, Alpha 66

“This strategy —seemingly still in place— sought to portray the Cuban exile community as extremist and link the U.S. government and agencies to such activities. The U.S. intelligence community is aware and must have documented in its archives that this was a permanent modus operandi of the Cuban intelligence service.”

— Enrique Garcia, Former Cuban Intelligence Officer

What’s next

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. would investigate what he described as a 'highly unusual' sea shootout.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the continued tensions between the U.S. and Cuba, as well as the ongoing efforts by some Cuban exile groups in Florida to undermine the communist government in Havana. It also raises questions about the tactics used by these groups and the potential for violence, even as their influence has waned since the Cold War era.