The Cuban government has officially stated that 32 of its citizens — members of its armed forces and security services — were killed during a United States military operation in Venezuela over the weekend.
The US action, conducted in Caracas, resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, whom US authorities brought to New York on federal charges related to narcotics and alleged narco-terrorism conspiracies.
Cuba’s accusation
Havana condemned the US operation as an act of military aggression and accused Washington of responsibility for the deaths of its nationals.
The Cuban government said its personnel were in Venezuela at the request of Maduro’s government — serving in intelligence, security and defense roles — and were killed either in direct combat with US forces or from bombardments connected to the strike.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel declared two days of national mourning for those killed.
Cuba described the fallen as having “fulfilled their duty with dignity and heroism” while carrying out their mission on Venezuelan soil.
The government has not released specific identities of the dead but confirmed they were part of Cuba’s military or Interior Ministry units deployed under bilateral cooperation with Venezuela.
US and international context
From the U.S. perspective, the operation — dependent on special forces and air assets — was framed as a law-enforcement and national security mission to apprehend Maduro and dismantle his alleged criminal networks.
President Donald Trump acknowledged that Cuban security personnel were killed, saying there were “a lot of deaths on the other side,” but reported no serious casualties among U.S. forces.
The incident has sharply escalated tensions between Washington and Havana.
In Washington, officials such as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio have criticized Cuba’s long involvement in Venezuela’s security apparatus, accusing Cuban personnel of running parts of Maduro’s intelligence and protective services.
Regional and global reactions
The US military action has drawn widespread international attention and controversy. Many Latin American governments and global powers have criticized the operation as a violation of Venezuelan sovereignty and international law.
Russia and China have both condemned the raid, demanding respect for Venezuela’s territorial integrity.
Meanwhile, some US allies have expressed concern about the legality and broader consequences of such a direct intervention.
Former President Trump also used the moment to issue sharp rhetorical warnings to Cuba, suggesting the loss of Venezuelan oil support could weaken the Cuban economy and calling the communist state “ready to fall.”
What’s next?
The Cuban government’s mourning period continues with flags at half-mast and public events suspended.
Venezuelan interim authorities and Maduro loyalists are trying to manage the fallout, with protests and denunciations of the U.S. action.
The US faces growing diplomatic pressure as the legality and long-term strategy of its intervention in Venezuela remain deeply contested internationally.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh
