Cuba Accuses U.S. of Extrajudicial Actions and Naval Blockade Against Venezuela

By Chinedu Echianu

Cuba has accused the United States of carrying out extra-judicial actions, maritime attacks on oil tankers and imposing an unlawful naval blockade on Venezuela.

There are also alleging that Washington has also designated Venezuela’s legitimate government as a foreign terrorist organisation in violation of international law.

The accusations were made on January 5, 2026, during an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council convened to discuss the situation in Venezuela, where Cuba strongly condemned what it described as U.S. military aggression against the South American nation.

Addressing the Council, Cuba’s representative said Havana had, since September 2025, repeatedly warned of what it termed U.S. “hegemonic and criminal plans” targeting Venezuela and the wider Latin American region.

According to the statement, these actions included unilateral sanctions, psychological pressure and what Cuba described as illegal naval operations in the Caribbean Sea aimed at dismantling Venezuela’s constitutional order.

Cuba further alleged that the situation escalated on January 3, when U.S. forces launched what it described as a direct military attack on Venezuela, calling it a blatant violation of the UN Charter and international law.

Havana claimed that during the operation, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were abducted, and demanded their immediate release while reaffirming its “full support and solidarity” with the Venezuelan government and people.

The Cuban delegation also disclosed that 32 Cuban nationals were killed during the alleged attack while carrying out missions in cooperation with Venezuelan authorities.

The individuals were identified as members of Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces and Ministry of the Interior, whose actions were described as fulfilling internationalist duties

Describing the incident as an unjustified and unprovoked act of aggression, Cuba warned that it marked a dangerous escalation in what it called a long-standing U.S. campaign against Venezuela.

It rejected Washington’s claims that the actions were linked to counter-narcotics efforts, instead alleging that the true objective was control of Venezuela’s natural resources.

Cuba called on the international community, including governments, parliaments and civil society organisations, to condemn the alleged aggression and take urgent steps to safeguard international peace and security.

It reiterated its commitment to the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, stressing that Venezuela’s political future must be decided solely by its people, free from external interference.