Madelaine, the wife of Ledián Padrón Guevara, the youngest among the four Cubans who perished in an armed confrontation with Cuba's Border Guard Troops, has shared one of the most poignant accounts following the tragedy.
Through tears and choked by emotion, Madelaine barely managed to utter a few words during a phone interview with Telemundo 51.
"Justice, justice, justice, he is not a terrorist," she pleaded amidst sobs.
Reflecting on their relationship, she added, "We had been together for a year and a bit."
Ledián was only 25 years old and lived in Houston. In the initial hours after the incident, his name was absent from the list of survivors released by the Cuban authorities, causing distress among family and friends.
His death was eventually confirmed.
The Tragic Incident at Sea
The event took place on Wednesday near Cayo Falcones, in the Corralillo municipality of Villa Clara, when a boat registered in Florida was intercepted in Cuban territorial waters.
According to the official account from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT), the boat ignored orders to halt and instead opened fire on Cuban forces, leading to an exchange of gunfire.
Official Statements and Reactions
Carlos Fernández de Cossío, the Deputy Foreign Minister, described the incident as an "armed infiltration attempt with terrorist intentions."
He claimed that assault rifles, sniper rifles, pistols, Molotov cocktails, night vision equipment, bulletproof vests, and ammunition were seized from the vessel.
In total, Cuban authorities identified ten individuals linked to the case: four deceased and six survivors who remain in custody.
Family Demands for Clarity
Apart from Ledián Padrón Guevara, Pavel Alling Peña, Michael Ortega Casanova, and Héctor Duani Cruz Correa also lost their lives.
Their families have rejected the "terrorist" label and are calling for an independent investigation to uncover the truth behind the events.
Key Questions About the Incident
What happened during the incident near Cayo Falcones?
The incident occurred when a Florida-registered boat was intercepted by Cuban forces in territorial waters, leading to an exchange of gunfire after the boat allegedly opened fire.
How have the families of the deceased responded?
The families have rejected the characterization of the deceased as "terrorists" and are demanding an independent investigation to clarify the circumstances of the incident.