32 Cubans Killed During U.S. Raid on Venezuela

Cuba said on Sunday that 32 of its citizens were killed during a U.S. raid in Venezuela that resulted in the illegal capture of President Nicolas Maduro.

In an official statement read on state-run Prensa Latina television, Havana said the dead were Cuban armed forces and intelligence personnel carrying out missions assigned by the Venezuelan government at the time of the operation.

“True to their responsibilities concerning security and defense, our compatriots fulfilled their duty with dignity and heroism and fell, after fierce resistance, in direct combat against the attackers or as a result of bombings on the facilities,” the statement said.

Cuba declared two days of national mourning on January 5 and 6 in honor of those killed, adding that funeral arrangements would be announced later. The government provided no further operational details.

Cuba has provided security support to Maduro since he came to power, but it remains unclear how many Cuban personnel were guarding the Venezuelan leader at the time of the raid and how many were killed elsewhere.

Maduro, 63, and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized by U.S. forces in Caracas on Saturday and transported to the United States. He is facing drug-related charges.

The U.S. Justice Department indicted Maduro in 2020 on charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy. He has consistently denied any criminal involvement.