Tampa man killed in Cuban boat shootout was on an ‘obsessive and diabolical’ quest, his brother says

A Tampa man, Michel Ortega Casanova, was among four individuals killed in an armed confrontation off the Cuban coast, according to his family and friends, as reported by The Hill. His brother, Misael Ortega Casanova, described Michel’s mission to overthrow the Cuban government as an “obsessive and diabolical” quest. This is at a time when political tension between the US and Cuba is at an all-time high.

The Cuban government claims that a boat registered in Florida, carrying ten men, attempted to invade their coast. They stated that their authorities intercepted the vessel, leading to a shootout. This confrontation resulted in the deaths of four men on the boat, while six others were wounded and subsequently taken into custody.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also Cuban American, has expressed significant distrust of the Cuban version of events. He confirmed that the U.S. government is conducting its own investigation into the incident, which is a really important step given the conflicting reports.

The Cuban Ministry of the Interior identified the individuals involved

The deceased were listed as Leordán Cruz Gomez of Tampa, Amijail Sanchez Gonzalez, Roberto Alvarez Avila, and Michael Ortega Casanova of Tampa. The other six individuals, Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara, Conrado Galindo Serrior, José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló, Pavel Alling Peña, Ledián Padrón Guevara, and Hector Duani Cruz Correa, are currently in Cuban custody.

It’s worth noting that Angela Chaviano of Casa Cuba in Tampa had stated Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez was wounded, which conflicts with the Cuban government’s list identifying him as deceased. The Cuban government also detailed the cache of weapons reportedly found on the boat.

This included “assault rifles, sniper rifles, pistols, Molotov cocktails, multiple assault equipment including night vision equipment, bulletproof vests, assault bayonets, camouflage clothing, ammunition of various calibers, food for combat use, means of communication, and a large number of monograms of counterrevolutionary terrorist organizations.”

Michel Ortega Casanova had been a member of Casa Cuba in Tampa and had visited just last week, according to Angela Chaviano. She described him as a great friend, almost like a brother, and said his death was very painful news. Chaviano also confirmed Michel’s strong desire to overthrow the Cuban government, noting that he believed change could only come “through arms, was through force and not just by talking.” He even tried to recruit others to join him in his efforts.

His brother, Misael Ortega Casanova, shared that Michel had lived in the U.S. for over 20 years and had become a citizen. He worked as a trucker and leaves behind his wife, his mother, two sisters, and a pregnant daughter. Misael emphasized that “no one knew” about the extent of his brother’s involvement, and his mother is understandably devastated. He believes that the men became “so obsessed that they didn’t think about the consequences nor their own lives.”

Adding another layer to this complex situation, Tampa attorney Ralph Fernandez, who has a long history of advocating for Cuban political prisoners, raised some serious questions. He suggested that “Tampa is deeply penetrated with Cuban intelligence, meaning they have actual intelligence officers in the network and agents in place in the network.”

Despite the Cuban government’s statement that they have been in contact with U.S. counterparts, including the State Department and Coast Guard, and are willing to exchange information, the U.S. government is currently not confirming any of the details provided by Cuba.