Cuba has confirmed the deaths of 32 of its nationals following a dramatic United States military operation in Venezuela that ended with the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro, marking a sharp escalation in regional tensions.
Havana said the fatalities occurred during combat operations in Caracas, where Cuban security personnel were deployed in support roles alongside Venezuelan authorities.
According to the Cuban government, those killed were members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior.
Officials in Havana described the U.S. action as a “direct act of aggression,” arguing that Cuban operatives were in Venezuela on official assignments requested by their counterparts.
A senior Cuban official, speaking on state television, said the fallen personnel “were carrying out legitimate duties and did not abandon their posts under fire.”
The U.S. operation, executed late Saturday, reportedly involved coordinated air and ground strikes in the Venezuelan capital.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were extracted from Caracas and flown to the United States, where the Venezuelan leader is expected to appear before a New York court to face charges linked to drug trafficking and terrorism.
Cuba’s government claimed its personnel resisted the assault until the end.
In its statement, Havana said the soldiers “fought under intense bombardment and remained engaged until they were either overwhelmed in direct clashes or killed during air strikes.”
In response to the deaths, Cuban authorities announced two days of national mourning beginning Monday, with flags ordered to fly at half-mast across the country. Plans are also underway for state-organised memorials to honour those killed.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel, reacting publicly, framed the incident as a broader confrontation with Washington.
He said the deceased “stood their ground in defence of sovereignty,” adding that Cuba would remember them as symbols of resistance.
The incident is expected to further strain already fragile relations between the United States, Cuba, and Venezuela, while raising fresh questions about foreign military involvement in Caracas and the wider geopolitical fallout from Maduro’s capture.