32 Cubans killed as US strikes on Venezuela deepen regional turmoil

Cuba has announced the deaths of 32 of its citizens during the United States military operation to seize and detain Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in Caracas, deepening international alarm over the most controversial US intervention in Latin America in decades.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Havana declared two days of national mourning on 5 and 6 January to honour those killed, adding that funeral arrangements would be announced shortly. Al Jazeera reported that the state-run Prensa Latina news agency said the Cuban nationals were military personnel who had been deployed in Venezuela at the request of the Maduro government.

According to the agency, the Cubans were killed while “carrying out missions” for their country’s armed forces, falling either in direct combat with US troops or during air strikes on facilities in Caracas. It said they had offered “fierce resistance” during the assault.

Cuba has long been a close ally of Venezuela and has stationed military advisers and security personnel in the country for years, assisting Caracas in a range of operations.

Maduro, 63, and his wife were flown to New York following the raid and are expected to appear in a US court on Monday to face drug-related charges, including allegations dating back to 2020. The Venezuelan leader has repeatedly denied any criminal wrongdoing.

Images of Maduro blindfolded and handcuffed by US forces have shocked many Venezuelans. The country’s defence minister, general Vladimir Padrino, said on state television that the US attack killed soldiers, civilians and a significant portion of the president’s security detail “in cold blood”, though he did not provide an official casualty figure.

US media reports, citing Venezuelan officials, have suggested that at least 40 people were killed during the operation. President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, acknowledged that “there was a lot of death on the other side”, claiming that many of those killed were Cuban nationals and that there were no US casualties.

Trump went on to issue fresh threats against Colombia, saying that a US military operation there “sounds good”, while suggesting that intervention in Cuba would not be necessary because the island was “ready to fall” on its own due to economic hardship and the loss of Venezuelan oil supplies.

The raid on Caracas has been widely described as the most contentious US action in the region since the invasion of Panama in 1989. The Trump administration has characterised the seizure of Maduro as a law enforcement mission aimed at forcing him to face US criminal charges. However, the president has also spoken openly about the need for American oil companies to gain full access to Venezuela’s vast energy reserves.

While several Western governments oppose Maduro’s rule, the operation has sparked widespread concern over its legality and compliance with international law. Left-leaning leaders in Brazil, Colombia, Chile and Mexico have criticised the move, while some right-wing governments in the region have expressed support.

The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to meet on Monday to discuss the attack. Russia and China, both key allies of Venezuela, have condemned the US action. Beijing has called on Washington to ensure the safety of Maduro and his wife and to cease efforts to overthrow the Venezuelan government, while Moscow has described the raid as an act of armed aggression and said it was “extremely concerned” by the developments.