Deadly boat incident off Cuba highlights Florida anti-Castro groups

The fatal shooting on a boat traveling to Cuba is bringing fresh attention to a deep-rooted movement in Florida against the island's government.

Feb. 28, 2026 at 12:48am

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A stolen boat with 10 people aboard, loaded with weapons, departed the Florida Keys but gunfire erupted before reaching Cuba. The Cuban government claims the men were terrorists seeking to infiltrate the country, while U.S. officials cast doubt on the account. The incident shines a light on the long-standing anti-Castro movement among Cuban exiles in South Florida, some of whom have sought violent overthrow of the island's communist leadership over the decades.

Why it matters

The incident highlights the continued tensions between the U.S. and Cuba, especially since the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, which has led the Trump administration to take a more aggressive stance toward Cuba. It also spotlights the deep-rooted freedom movement among Cuban exiles in South Florida, including some fringe elements who have long sought a violent overthrow of the island's communist leadership.

The details

The fatal shooting broke out Wednesday amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Cuba. The Cuban government said most of the people on the boat were violent criminals, but U.S. officials cast doubt on the account, describing the incident as a 'highly unusual' sea shootout. The counter-revolutionary groups, with names like Alpha 66 and Omega 7, were at their strongest in the 1970s and '80s but their influence has receded since the Reagan administration arrested their leaders for violent attacks on U.S. soil.

  • The fatal shooting occurred on Wednesday, February 28, 2026.
  • The counter-revolutionary groups were at their strongest in the 1970s and 1980s.

The players

Alpha 66

A counter-revolutionary group that was active in the 1970s and 1980s, training in weapons and guerrilla tactics at a camp in the Everglades.

Omega 7

Another counter-revolutionary group that was active in the 1970s and 1980s, seeking to violently overthrow Cuba's communist leadership.

Marco Rubio

U.S. Secretary of State who rose to prominence surrounded by the Cuban exile politics of Miami, and who cast doubt on the Cuban government's account of the incident.

Enrique Garcia

A former Cuban intelligence officer who defected to the U.S. in 1989, and who said a well-funded Cuban intelligence department spent decades co-opting armed resistance groups.

Ibrahim Bosch

President of the Republican Party of Cuba, an exile group, who described one of the deceased as an 'excellent person' dedicated to the cause of Cuban freedom.

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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 of 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.”

— Enrique Garcia, Former Cuban Intelligence Officer

“If he went to Cuba it was because he wanted freedom for his country.”

— Marina Luz Padron, Ex-wife of Hector Cruz Correa, one of the deceased (The Associated Press)

What’s next

U.S. officials have said they will investigate the incident, which they described as 'highly unusual', to determine the full details and circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the continued tensions between the U.S. and Cuba, as well as the deep-rooted anti-Castro movement among Cuban exiles in Florida, some of whom have resorted to violent tactics over the decades in their quest for freedom on the island. It raises questions about the role of Cuban intelligence in co-opting and manipulating these fringe groups.