Cuban Coast Guard Kills US-Based Man Seeking to 'Liberate' Island

Ally says Michel Ortega Casanova wanted to spark uprising against 'criminal and murderous narco-tyrannical' government

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A US-based man identified by Cuba as one of four people killed by its coast guard in a shootout had often spoken of wanting to liberate the communist island, a political ally told AFP. Michel Ortega Casanova, a 54-year-old truck driver, was part of a group in Florida that was willing to fight for the freedom of their homeland through military training, according to the ally, Wilfredo Beyra, head of the Cuban Republican Party in Tampa.

Why it matters

The incident adds to deepening tensions between Cuba and the United States, with the Trump administration branding Cuba a 'failed nation' and an 'extraordinary threat' to US national security. Cuba has vowed to defend itself against 'terrorist and mercenary' attacks as it faces shortages of fuel, medicine and food under a US trade embargo.

The details

Cuba reported it had killed four gunmen in a Florida-registered boat near its shores on Wednesday. Beyra said Ortega Casanova had told him several times about his intentions to take action 'at any moment' to try to spark an uprising against the 'criminal and murderous narco-tyrannical' Cuban government. Beyra also knew one of the men identified by Havana as being wounded, Leordan Enrique Cruz Gomez, whom he had met at a political event in Miami last year.

  • The incident occurred on Wednesday, February 26, 2026.

The players

Michel Ortega Casanova

A 54-year-old US-based truck driver who was identified by Cuba as one of those killed in the shootout. He had often spoken of wanting to liberate the communist island and was part of a group in Florida that was willing to fight for the freedom of their homeland through military training.

Wilfredo Beyra

The head of the Cuban Republican Party in Tampa, Florida, who was a political ally of Ortega Casanova and had known him for four or five years.

Leordan Enrique Cruz Gomez

One of the men identified by Cuba as being wounded in the incident. Beyra had met him at a political event in Miami last year and they had stayed in touch.

Donald Trump

The former US president who branded Cuba a 'failed nation' and an 'extraordinary threat' to US national security, and cut off key supplies of Venezuelan oil to Cuba after ousting Venezuela's president Nicolas Maduro.

Miguel Diaz-Canel

The current president of Cuba, who denounced Wednesday's incident as an attempted 'infiltration' and said assault rifles, handguns, Molotov cocktails and other military-style gear were seized.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“His goal was to go and fight against a criminal and murderous narco-tyrannical (government), to see if that would spark the people to rise up.”

— Wilfredo Beyra, Head of the Cuban Republican Party in Tampa

“In Florida, several groups openly declare that they are willing, through military training, to fight for the freedom of their homeland. And Michel was part of one of those groups.”

— Wilfredo Beyra, Head of the Cuban Republican Party in Tampa

What’s next

The US government has said it will investigate the incident and respond accordingly.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between the US and Cuba, with Cuban exiles in Florida willing to take drastic action to try to 'liberate' the island, even as the Trump administration has increased pressure on Cuba through economic and diplomatic means.