The Cuban government on Sunday said 32 of its citizens were killed during a U.S. military operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro for prosecution in the United States.
Havana declared January 5 and 6 as days of national mourning in honour of those killed, noting that details of funeral arrangements would be announced later.
In an official statement, the government said the victims were members of Cuba’s armed forces and intelligence services, but did not disclose further operational details.
“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 has for years provided security support to Maduro’s government, though it remains unclear how many Cuban personnel were deployed to protect the Venezuelan leader at the time of the operation or whether others were killed elsewhere.
Maduro, 63, and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured by U.S. forces in Caracas on Saturday and flown to the United States, where he is being held at a detention centre in New York ahead of a court appearance scheduled for Monday on drug-related charges.
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The Venezuelan leader was indicted in 2020 on charges including conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, allegations he has consistently denied.
(Reuters)