Cuba has announced that 32 of its citizens were killed during the US military operation in Caracas that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The government in Havana described the deaths as a result of a “criminal attack” by the United States. In a statement read on national television, officials confirmed the deceased were members of Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior.
Cuba has long been a staunch ally of the Maduro administration, providing security and intelligence personnel to Caracas for years. These individuals were in Venezuela “at the request of counterpart agencies,” according to the statement.
‘Fierce resistance’
President Miguel Díaz-Canel praised the fallen personnel, writing on X (formerly Twitter): “Honor and glory to the brave Cuban fighters who fell facing terrorists in imperial uniform.”
The Cuban government said its soldiers died “fulfilling their duty with dignity,” claiming they were killed during “fierce resistance” in direct combat or as a result of US aerial bombardments.
In response, Havana has declared two days of national mourning beginning on Monday.
Regional tensions rise
The fallout from the extraction of Mr Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, is reverberating across the region:
- Havana: Two days of mourning and planned tributes for the fallen soldiers.
- Colombia: President Gustavo Petro has reportedly rejected what he termed “threats” from US President Donald Trump.
- The Vatican: Pope Francis has joined the West African bloc ECOWAS in calling for stability following the appointment of Delcy Rodríguez as interim president.
Mr Maduro is expected to appear in a New York court on Monday to face charges of drug trafficking and terrorism. The presence of Cuban combatants in the Venezuelan capital is likely to be used by Washington as further justification for the scale of the military operation.
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