CUBA · SECURITY
Key Facts
- —Who Cuba’s government and the Communist Party daily Granma, against alleged Florida-based exile groups.
- —What Havana says an armed speedboat landing on 25 February 2026 was planned and financed from Florida.
- —Where Cuban waters off Corralillo, Villa Clara province, on the north-central coast.
- —When Granma published the account in October 2026; the landing itself was on 25 February 2026.
- —Why it matters US sanctions policy on Cuba allows narrow exceptions, such as Sherritt’s fuel licence on 20 October.
- —Power Index Cuba ranks 14th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 22.5 points (October 2026 edition).
Cuba‘s government says an armed boat landing on its coast in February was organised and financed from Florida. The claim comes from Granma, the Communist Party newspaper, and has not been independently confirmed.
For US readers, it lands in a week when Washington licensed fuel for a Canadian nickel miner on the island. Both stories show how closely US sanctions policy and Cuba are linked.
What Havana Says Happened
According to Granma, two speedboats left Florida in February 2026 with five people each. One boat broke down, and the other, named Tornado, reached Cuban waters near Corralillo in Villa Clara province.
Cuban authorities say the Border Guard Troops intercepted it on Wednesday 25 February, with an exchange of fire. Reports differ on how many people were killed, wounded or detained, so we do not give a figure.
The Claim of Florida Financing
Granma says the alleged aim was to seize military units, hand out weapons and trigger an uprising that would provoke US military intervention. It names Maritza Lugo Fernández, a Cuban living in the United States, as the main organiser.
Granma says she leads an exile group called the Movimiento Revolucionario Partido Democrático 30 de Noviembre Frank País. Reports say she rejects the accusations.
Charges and Presumption of Innocence
Cuban prosecutors have charged defendants with terrorism and related offences, according to Cuban and exile media. Granma says investigators obtained confessions and transcripts.
These are allegations from a one-party state, and Cuban courts offer defendants limited independent oversight. The people named have not been convicted in any proceeding the Rio Times could verify, and no US authority has confirmed Havana’s account of Florida financing.
A Fuel Licence for Sherritt
On Tuesday 20 October, the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, which enforces sanctions, gave Sherritt International a specific licence, according to Sherritt and trade press. It covers fuel, fuel oil and sulphur for the company’s Moa Nickel operations in Cuba, plus shipping, banks and insurers.
Sherritt, a Canadian miner, calls it the first of a series of emergency licences. A second is still needed before mining and processing at Moa can restart.
What It Means for You
For US investors and travellers, the week shows Cuba policy moving in two directions. Washington keeps pressure on Havana while allowing narrow exceptions for a Canadian company that needs fuel to restart.
If you follow sanctions risk, expect more case-by-case licences rather than a general change. If you follow Cuba security news, treat claims from either government as unverified until courts or independent reporters confirm them.
What Is Not Known
Independent evidence that Florida-based groups financed or planned the February landing has not been published. Cuba has not disclosed full court files, and the US government has not responded on the record to the claims.
Sherritt has not said when it expects the second licence, and the monetary value of the fuel licence is not public. The number of people charged is reported differently across accounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Cuba claim about the February boat landing?
Havana says armed men from Florida landed near Corralillo on 25 February 2026 to seize military units and spark an uprising. It says the plot was financed from the United States, and no independent confirmation exists.
Has anyone been convicted?
The Rio Times found no verified conviction. Cuban prosecutors have charged defendants with terrorism and related offences, and Granma says confessions were obtained. The accused are presumed innocent.
What did the US Treasury allow for Sherritt?
On 20 October 2026 the Office of Foreign Assets Control licensed fuel, fuel oil and sulphur deliveries to Sherritt’s Moa Nickel operations in Cuba, with related services. A second licence is still needed to restart.
Has the United States confirmed Cuba’s claim?
No US authority has confirmed Havana’s account of Florida financing. The US government has not responded on the record to the claims.
Why does Sherritt need a US licence?
Sherritt’s Moa Nickel operations in Cuba need fuel, and US sanctions rules require a licence for such supplies. Sherritt says a second licence is still needed before restart.
Sources: Granma English, further details on the investigation; Prensa Latina, frustran intento de ataque; E&MJ, US Treasury authorizes fuel for Moa Nickel; Mining.com, Sherritt fuel licence.
This article was drafted with automated assistance and reviewed before publication. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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