CARACAS, Venezuela — A military operation conducted by United States forces on January 3rd resulted in the deaths of 55 military personnel from Cuba and Venezuela, according to official statements released Tuesday by both nations. The raid, which targeted the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, represents a significant escalation in hemispheric tensions.
Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López characterized the operation as a brutal assault, stating that Maduro’s presidential guard was largely eliminated ‘in cold blood’ by US troops who initiated bombardment in the capital before extracting the leader from his residence. The incident underscores the volatile security situation that has persisted throughout Maduro’s 12-year administration.
Cuba’s government published the identities of 32 deceased military members, including three high-ranking officers from the interior ministry, who perished during the nighttime assault in Caracas. Simultaneously, Venezuelan authorities released an online memorial honoring 23 fallen personnel from their armed forces, a list that notably included five admirals.
This tragic event occurs amid ongoing pressure from Washington against the leftist governments in Havana and Caracas, who maintain robust military cooperation alongside collaborations in health and education sectors. The longstanding practice of employing specialized Cuban soldiers for presidential protection—initiated by Maduro’s predecessor Hugo Chávez—has now culminated in one of the most severe bilateral military casualties in recent Latin American history.