Cuba has issued a formal condemnation of what it describes as an act of ‘state terrorism’ following a lethal assault that resulted in the deaths of numerous Cuban military and intelligence personnel stationed in Venezuela. The deceased, comprising officers from both the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) and the Ministry of the Interior (Minint), were present in the South American nation under a bilateral security and defense cooperation agreement, responding to an official request from the Venezuelan government.
The extensive list of casualties includes high-ranking officers such as Colonels Humberto Alfonso Roca Sánchez (67) and Lazaro Evangelio Rodriguez Rodriguez (62), alongside several majors and captains. The attack also claimed the lives of numerous lieutenants and first officers, including Lieutenant Colonel Orlando Osoria Lopez (45) and First Officer Giorki Verdecia García (30). Additionally, reserve soldiers and non-commissioned staff were among the victims, highlighting the significant loss experienced by Cuba’s security apparatus.
The Cuban government has explicitly attributed responsibility for this escalation to Washington, condemning the United States for promoting military and political actions that threaten the sovereignty and stability of Venezuela. This incident represents a severe deterioration in the already tense relations between Cuba and the United States, potentially signaling a new phase of confrontation in the Caribbean region with far-reaching implications for international diplomacy and regional security arrangements.