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Secretary of State Marco Rubio Remarks to Press
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio Remarks to Press

#Marco Rubio #Secretary of State #Cuba incident #Saint Kitts and Nevis #U.S. investigation #Cuban authorities #Maritime security #Venezuela oil

📌 Key Takeaways

  • U.S. investigating Cuba coast incident after notification from Cuban authorities
  • Multiple U.S. agencies involved in independently verifying information
  • Boat reportedly registered in Florida with potential American citizens involved
  • Secretary described sea incident as 'highly unusual' for Cuba relations
  • U.S. clarified policy on Venezuelan oil to Cuba as legal for private sector only

📖 Full Retelling

Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the press in Frigate Bay, Saint Kitts and Nevis on February 25, 2026, regarding an incident off the coast of Cuba that U.S. authorities are investigating after being notified by Cuban officials. Rubio explained that the Department of Homeland Security, Coast Guard, and U.S. Embassy in Havana are all involved in the investigation, with embassy personnel working to determine if American citizens or permanent residents were aboard the vessels involved. According to Cuban authorities, the boat was registered in Florida, a detail that U.S. officials are currently tracking and verifying. The Secretary emphasized that while initial information came from Cuban sources, the U.S. government would conduct its own independent verification before making any determinations or taking appropriate action. Rubio declined to speculate on the nature of the incident but noted that shootouts on the open sea are highly unusual and haven't occurred with Cuba in a very long time. The Secretary confirmed that U.S. Coast Guard vessels have responded to the area but stressed that the primary objectives are establishing who currently possesses the vessel and gaining access to any individuals who might be American citizens or residents. During the press conference, Rubio also addressed questions about a recent Treasury Department announcement regarding Venezuelan oil to Cuba, clarifying that it has always been legal to sell to Cuba's private sector and not to the government or military-owned enterprises. He characterized Cuba's current economic crisis as the worst in the country's history since 1959, attributing it to decades of mismanagement and a failed economic model that has relied on external subsidies rather than sustainable domestic policies.

🏷️ Themes

Cuba-U.S. relations, Maritime incidents, Foreign policy response, Economic sanctions

📚 Related People & Topics

Marco Rubio

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Marco Antonio Rubio (, ROO-bee-oh; born May 28, 1971) is an American politician, attorney, and diplomat serving as the 72nd United States secretary of state since 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he represented Florida in the U.S. Senate from 2011 to 2025. Rubio is also the acting national se...

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Secretary of state

Type of senior civil servant in the government of a state

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Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Country in the West Indies

Saint Kitts and Nevis, officially the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, is an island country located in the Caribbean consisting of the two islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, in the Leeward Islands chain of the Lesser Antilles. With 261 square kilometres (101 sq mi) of territory, and roughly 48,00...

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Connections for Marco Rubio:

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Original Source
Home Office of the Spokesperson Press Releases … Secretary of State Marco Rubio Remarks to Press hide Secretary of State Marco Rubio Remarks to Press Remarks Marco Rubio, Secretary of State St. Kitts Marriott Beach Resort Frigate Bay, Saint Kitts and Nevis February 25, 2026 SECRETARY RUBIO: So this morning we were made aware by Cuban authorities of an incident off the coast of Cuba. We immediately began to look into it. As it stands now, the Department of Homeland Security, the Coast Guard, others are involved. The majority of the information we still possess is what Cuban authorities are providing both the public and the U.S. Government. We have our embassy on the ground in Havana working this as we speak, asking for access to the people that were on those vessels, if they were American citizens or permanent residents. According to the Cuban regime, that the boat was registered in Florida. We’re tracking that down. We will know shortly. We will know quickly many more facts about this incident than we know right now. The majority of the facts being publicly reported are those by the information provided by the Cubans. We will verify that independently. We will – as we gather more information, then we’ll be prepared to respond accordingly. I’m not going to speculate. I’m not going to – I’m not going to opine on what I don’t yet know. But we’re going to find out exactly what happened here, and then we’ll respond accordingly. Okay. Any you been in touch with anyone in Cuba? And I mean, what’s your contact with — SECRETARY RUBIO: Well, the authorities in Cuba, the border guard, has constant contact with the Coast Guard, so they alerted them this morning. I was made aware of it at that time. So oftentimes in these incidents and things like this, the initial reports are incomplete, and then as the day has progressed, I think early this morning – certainly by 9:00 a.m. or 10:00 a.m. this time, maybe a little later our time here – I reached out and we began to look at it in...
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