Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello has made explosive allegations regarding Saturday’s US military operation that deposed President Nicolás Maduro, claiming the intervention resulted in approximately 100 fatalities. The announcement, made during Cabello’s weekly state television broadcast on Wednesday, marks the first official death toll provided by Caracas since the controversial regime change operation.
According to Venezuelan authorities, a significant portion of Maduro’s security detail was allegedly executed ‘in cold blood’ during the raid. This figure substantially exceeds the Venezuelan army’s previously released list identifying 23 military personnel killed in the operation.
The international dimension of the casualties continues to emerge, with Cuba confirming that 32 of its military and intelligence personnel stationed in Venezuela were among the dead. Meanwhile, details have surfaced regarding injuries sustained by high-profile detainees: Maduro himself suffered a leg injury during the operation, while his wife Cilia Flores, who was detained alongside him, sustained head trauma.
In response to the casualties, Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez, whom Cabello publicly praised as ‘courageous,’ has declared a week of national mourning to honor military members killed during the raid. The developments represent a significant escalation in the aftermath of the operation that has dramatically altered Venezuela’s political landscape and drawn international scrutiny.