Cuba Blames U.S. for Deaths of 32 Cuban Nationals

By: Aremu Toyeebaht

Cuba has announced two days of national mourning following the deaths of 32 of its nationals during a U.S. military operation in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

In a statement broadcast on Cuban national television on Sunday, authorities in Havana said the casualties were caused “as a result of the criminal attack carried out by the government of the United States” against Venezuela.

Cuban officials said those killed were personnel of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior who had been deployed to Venezuela on official assignments “at the request of counterpart agencies.”

The fatalities occurred amid a high-profile U.S. military operation on Saturday during which Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were removed from Caracas. Maduro is scheduled to appear before a court in New York on Monday to face charges of drug trafficking and terrorism.

According to the Cuban government, the fallen 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” conducted by U.S. forces.

Havana said the period of national mourning will begin at dawn on Monday, with state-organised tributes planned to honour those killed.

President Miguel Diaz-Canel condemned the operation in a post on X, stating: “Honor and glory to the brave Cuban fighters who fell facing terrorists in imperial uniform.”