The Cuban government has confirmed the deaths of 32 military personnel during a United States military operation in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. In an official statement broadcast nationally on Sunday, Havana authorities characterized the incident as a ‘criminal attack’ by the U.S. government against Venezuela.
According to Cuban officials, the deceased were members of either Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces or the Ministry of the Interior who were conducting official missions ‘at the request of counterpart agencies’ in Venezuela. The statement emphasized that the soldiers ‘fulfilled their duty with dignity and heroism’ during what it described as ‘fierce resistance’ against American forces.
The casualties occurred during direct combat engagements with U.S. troops or as a result of aerial bombardments conducted by American forces, the Cuban government reported. The operation, which took place on Saturday, resulted in Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores being extracted from Caracas to face drug trafficking and terrorism charges in a New York court.
In response to the losses, Cuba has declared two days of national mourning beginning at dawn on Monday. The government has pledged to organize official tributes to honor the fallen personnel. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel expressed national sentiment on social media, posting: ‘Honour and glory to the brave Cuban fighters who fell facing terrorists in imperial uniform.’
The incident represents a significant escalation in tensions between Cuba and the United States, with Havana using strongly condemnatory language to describe the American military action that resulted in Cuban casualties.