Cuba on Sunday accused the United States of killing 32 of its nationals during a military operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas.
In a statement broadcast on national television, the Cuban government said the deaths occurred during what it described as a “criminal attack” carried out by the United States against Venezuela.
The statement said the deceased were members of Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior who were deployed in Venezuela on official missions at the request of their Venezuelan counterparts.
“The 32 Cubans lost their lives in combat operations while fulfilling missions requested by counterpart agencies,” the government said.
The accusation followed a dramatic United States military operation carried out on Saturday in Caracas, during which Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were extracted from the Venezuelan capital. The couple are expected to face charges related to drug trafficking and terrorism in a New York court on Monday.
Cuban authorities said the soldiers “fulfilled their duty with dignity and heroism,” adding that they were killed either during direct combat with the attackers or as a result of aerial bombings.
“They fell after fierce resistance in direct combat against the attackers or due to the bombings carried out by the United States,” the statement said.
In response to the incident, the Cuban government declared two days of national mourning beginning at dawn on Monday and announced plans to organise official tributes in honour of the fallen personnel.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz Canel, reacting on social media, praised the deceased soldiers, describing them as heroes.
“Honor and glory to the brave Cuban fighters who fell facing terrorists in imperial uniform,” he wrote.
The development has further heightened tensions between Havana and Washington, with Cuba maintaining that the operation violated international law and sovereignty, while the United States has yet to issue an official response to the allegation.
