Cuba has announced that 32 of its nationals were killed during the United States military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
The Cuban government stated on Sunday that the deceased were members of Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces or the Ministry of the Interior who were carrying out missions at the request of Venezuelan counterpart agencies. The announcement was delivered through an official statement read on Cuban state television.
According to Cuba’s state-run Prensa Latina agency, the fighters were killed while carrying out missions on behalf of the country’s military. The agency noted they died either in direct combat against the attackers or as a result of facility bombings after offering fierce resistance.
President Miguel Diaz Canel signed a decree establishing two days of national mourning throughout Cuba on January 5 and 6 to honour those killed. During this period, the Cuban flag will be flown at half staff on public buildings and military installations, and public performances and festive activities will be suspended.
On social media platform X, President Diaz Canel wrote tribute to the fallen personnel, stating: “Honor and glory to the brave Cuban fighters who fell facing terrorists in imperial uniform.” He condemned the operation as state terrorism against Venezuela.
The US military operation, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, took place in the early hours of Saturday, January 3, 2026. The mission involved at least 150 aircraft flying toward Caracas from 20 different bases on land and sea, with special forces and law enforcement officials extracting Maduro from his residence.
US President Donald Trump acknowledged the Cuban casualties while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday. Trump stated that “a lot of Cubans were killed yesterday” and confirmed “there was a lot of death on the other side” with “no death on our side.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, pointed to Cuban involvement in Venezuela over the weekend, saying that Maduro’s internal security apparatus was headed by Cubans and that they were “propping up Maduro.”
Cuba is a close ally of Venezuela’s government and has maintained military and police presence in the South American nation for years. The Cuban casualties included members of the armed forces and police who had been deployed to Venezuela, though Havana has not released the names or exact ranks of those killed.
According to Venezuelan and Cuban officials, more than 80 people were killed in the attack, including the 32 Cuban military and intelligence members. The New York Times reported that an anonymous Venezuelan official stated at least 40 people, including civilians and military personnel, were killed.
Maduro and Flores were transported from Venezuela to Guantanamo Bay before being flown to New York, where they face charges in the Southern District of New York including alleged narco terrorism conspiracy and drug trafficking offenses. They are expected to appear in federal court on Monday, January 5, 2026.
The Cuban government described the US actions as a criminal act of aggression and state terrorism. Cuban officials have demanded international support against what they characterize as an illegal assault on Venezuelan sovereignty.
Cuba’s economic concerns have also been heightened by the operation, as the island nation has long relied on massive aid packages and oil shipments from Venezuela for its survival. The loss of this ally poses significant challenges for Cuba’s communist run government.
