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yesterday

Cuba Confirms 32 Personnel Killed in U.S. Raid That Seized Venezuela’s Maduro

Havana has declared two days of mourning, underscoring growing scrutiny of casualties and legality.

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The Cuban flag flies at half-mast at the Anti-Imperialist Tribune near the U.S. embassy in Havana, Cuba, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in memory of Cubans who died two days before in Caracas, Venezuela during the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. forces. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
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A damaged building following U.S. strikes on Venezuela, during which President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured, in Catia La Mar, Venezuela, January 4, 2026. REUTERS/Gaby Oraa

Overview

  • Cuba said the dead were members of its armed forces and intelligence services deployed to Venezuela at Caracas’s request, and it has not released their names.
  • Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were flown to New York and are being held pending a Monday court appearance on U.S. drug-trafficking charges.
  • Reported overall fatalities from the operation vary, with Venezuelan officials cited by media putting the toll at least 40 and possibly near 80, figures not independently confirmed.
  • President Donald Trump said there were no U.S. fatalities and “a lot of Cubans were killed,” and he added that Cuba’s government “looks ready to fall.”
  • The operation has prompted international criticism and U.N. scrutiny, with the Security Council scheduled to meet Monday and questions raised about the legality of using force.