Newly released casualty figures reveal that 55 Venezuelan and Cuban military personnel lost their lives during a decisive US military operation that resulted in the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Venezuelan authorities confirmed 23 service member fatalities, while Cuba reported 32 deaths among its armed forces and security personnel stationed in Caracas, marking the first official acknowledgment of losses from Saturday’s operation.
The multi-phase assault commenced with precision airstrikes targeting military installations, culminating in a helicopter-borne special forces raid that extracted Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from a secure compound. The captured leader subsequently appeared in a New York courtroom, pleading not guilty to comprehensive drug trafficking charges. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has since called for assurances of a fair judicial process for the deposed leader.
In the aftermath, Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro’s former deputy, assumed the role of interim president amid complex geopolitical pressures. US President Donald Trump expressed conditional willingness to collaborate, contingent upon Rodriguez granting American corporations access to Venezuela’s substantial oil reserves. This demand places the new leadership in a precarious position, requiring careful navigation between Washington’s expectations and maintaining support from Maduro’s influential political base.
The transitional government faces immediate challenges, evidenced by the brief detention of 16 journalists covering Rodriguez’s parliamentary inauguration—a move signaling the persistent influence of hardline elements within the security apparatus. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado launched scathing criticism against the interim administration, labeling Rodriguez as fundamentally untrustworthy and highlighting her historical ties to nations including Russia and China.
Trump maintained strategic ambiguity, simultaneously endorsing Rodriguez while issuing stark warnings should she deviate from US objectives. Meanwhile, political analysts suggest the interim administration may pursue confidence-building measures, including potential releases of political prisoners and diplomatic re-engagement, as Venezuela prepares for constitutionally mandated elections within the coming month.