Trending 
At least 32 Cuban nationals were killed during the US military operation in Caracas that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
In a statement broadcast on state television on Sunday, the Havana government said the deaths occurred during what it described as a US assault on Venezuela, adding that the Cubans were killed in combat-related operations.
“As a result of the criminal attack carried out by the government of the United States against Venezuela, 32 Cubans lost their lives in combat operations.”
Cuban officials said the deceased were members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior who had been deployed on assignments requested by Venezuelan counterpart agencies.
Credit: AFP
The announcement followed a US operation on Saturday in which Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken from Caracas and flown to New York, where they are expected to face charges related to drug trafficking and terrorism.
According to the Cuban government, the personnel “carried out their responsibilities with courage and honour” and died either while resisting the assault or as a result of US air strikes during the operation.
The government also announced two days of national mourning starting early Monday and said official tributes would be held in honour of the fallen.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel paid tribute in a message on X(formerly Twitter), describing the victims as brave fighters who died confronting what he termed foreign aggression.
