Cuba has accused the United States of causing the deaths of 32 Cuban nationals during a military operation in Caracas that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
In a statement read on Cuban national television on Sunday, the government in Havana said the fatalities occurred “as a result of the criminal attack carried out by the government of the United States” against Venezuela.
According to Cuban officials, the deceased were members of Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior who were deployed on official missions in Venezuela “at the request of counterpart agencies.”
The deaths reportedly occurred during a dramatic U.S. military operation on Saturday in which Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were extracted from Caracas. The Venezuelan leader is expected to appear in a New York court on Monday to face charges related to drug trafficking and terrorism.
Cuba’s official statement said the personnel “fulfilled their duty with dignity and heroism and fell, after fierce resistance, in direct combat against the attackers or as a result of the bombings” carried out by U.S. forces.
In response, Havana announced two days of national mourning beginning at dawn on Monday and said official tributes would be organised to honour the fallen.
President Miguel Diaz-Canel condemned the operation in a post on X, writing: “Honor and glory to the brave Cuban fighters who fell facing terrorists in imperial uniform.”
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