Secretary of State says, “We are going to verify that information independently and reach our own conclusions.“
Secretary of State Marco Rubio responded to questions from journalists regarding reports from Cuba that a shootout occurred this week between Cuban soldiers and the occupants of a U.S.-flagged boat out of Florida. The incident reportedly resulted in the deaths of four people on the boat.
Secretary Rubio said, “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.“
He continued, “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.“
The secretary added, “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.“
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Secretary Rubio and State Department officials as they seek information on the incident.
- For wisdom for Homeland Security and Coast Guard personnel as they collaborate with the State Department on the investigation.
Sources: Real Clear Politics, Department of State
