By Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald
One of the men accused of trying to invade Cuba and destabilize its government died this week while in detention, Cuban authorities said.
The island’s Interior Ministry announced on Thursday night that Roberto Álvarez Ávila died as a result of his injuries during a shootout at sea with the Cuban coast guard. He had been previously identified as one of the men who had been detained as part of a group of 10 men who had tried to invade the island by boat to commit violent acts.
Cuban authorities came across the boat off central Cuba on Feb 25, which resulted in a shoutout at sea, Cuban officials said. But the current death toll from the incident is unclear. On Feb. 25, Cuba said four men had died and identified the deceased a day later.
But on Feb. 26, Cuba revised the death toll from four to three without explanation or saying who was still presumably alive. Then on March 4, Cuban authorities confirmed the death of Álvarez Ávila, who Havana had previously misidentified as another Miami-based, anti-Cuban government activist.
The conflicting narratives Cuba has published about who is dead or alive — and who was even in the boat in the first place — have raised questions about Havana’s version of the incident. The U.S. government has not verified the Cuban government’s claims.
Cuba has said it “has maintained timely communication” with the United States and that the two countries might exchange information and evidence as part of its investigation. The Interior Ministry said in its statement Thursday that Cuban officials “consider it their duty to cooperate reciprocally in confronting this dangerous scourge for all humanity,” referring to terrorism.
Trump administration officials have so far described Havana as uncooperative and emphasized the need for the U.S. to investigate the incident.
“The Cuban regime has not responded to repeated official requests by the U.S. Embassy Havana for consular access and information regarding claimed U.S. citizens allegedly involved in the boat incident,” a spokesperson from the U.S. Embassy in Havana told the Miami Herald.
Cuba does not recognize dual citizenship of naturalized, Cuba-born Americans who keep residency status on the island, according to the State Department. They are treated as Cuban nationals under Cuban law and must enter the island with a Cuban passport. The State Department has said the Cuban government might not allow U.S. consular access to imprisoned Cuban Americans.
In Cuba’s version of events, the 10 men left Florida on a boat filled to the brim with guns, ammunition and explosives. Cuba’s attorney general said this week that six of the men were charged with terrorism and will be held in pre-trial detention. However, it’s unclear who has been charged from the group of original men Havana identified.
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