分类： politics

In a fiery address delivered at Havana’s José Martí Anti-Imperialist Tribune, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel delivered a scathing condemnation of what he termed “U.S. military aggression” against Venezuela and the alleged kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro. The January 3rd speech framed the operation as an act of “state terrorism” that violates international law and threatens regional stability.

Díaz-Canel characterized the predawn military action as a “cowardly, criminal, and treacherous” attack motivated by imperialist desires for Venezuela’s oil reserves and natural resources. He explicitly rejected the Monroe Doctrine and what he called the “fallacious narrative of narco-terrorism” that U.S. officials had allegedly propagated to justify intervention.

The Cuban leader drew historical parallels, invoking Fidel Castro’s warnings about U.S. imperialism from two decades prior and comparing current U.S. leadership to Nazi propagandists employing Goebbels’ principle of repeating lies until they become accepted as truth. He further equated the Venezuela operation to “crimes against humanity committed by Israeli Zionism in the Gaza Strip.”

Díaz-Canel called for international mobilization against what he described as an illegal regime change operation, emphasizing that the threat extended beyond Venezuela to all of humanity. He demanded proof of life for Maduro and his partner Cilia Flores, while asserting that the United States bears responsibility for their physical safety.

The speech concluded with revolutionary slogans and declarations of solidarity between Cuba and Venezuela, with Díaz-Canel vowing that both nations would defend Venezuelan sovereignty at “a very high price” if necessary.

Cuba has confirmed the deaths of 32 military personnel in what it describes as a “criminal act of aggression and state terrorism” by the United States government against Venezuelan territory. The incident occurred during early hours of January 3, 2026, when Cuban combatants were reportedly conducting security operations at the request of Venezuelan authorities.

According to official statements from the Cuban government, the deceased personnel were serving with the Revolutionary Armed Forces and Ministry of the Interior on cooperative defense missions in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The casualties resulted from both direct combat engagements with American forces and aerial bombardment of military facilities where Cuban troops were stationed.

The Cuban government emphasized that its personnel demonstrated “dignity and heroism” during what it characterized as fierce resistance against the attackers. Following verification procedures, all affected families have been notified and have received personal condolences from Cuban leadership, including Army General Raúl Castro Ruz and President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez.

The Revolutionary Government has announced plans to organize appropriate memorial actions to honor the fallen combatants, whom they describe as having embodied the solidarity principles valued by millions of Cubans. This incident represents a significant escalation in the ongoing geopolitical tensions between Cuba, Venezuela, and the United States.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez has issued Presidential Decree 1147, establishing a period of national mourning following the deaths of 32 Cuban military personnel in Venezuela. The solemn observance will commence at 6:00 a.m. on January 5 and continue through midnight on January 6, 2026.

The decree, published in Cuba’s Official Gazette, comes in response to what the Cuban government describes as a criminal attack against Venezuela by the United States government on January 3, 2026. According to the presidential statement, the deceased Cubans were fulfilling missions at the request of Venezuelan counterpart agencies when they perished during combat operations or facility bombings.

President Díaz-Canel characterized the fallen personnel as having fulfilled their duties with dignity and heroic resistance, noting that they embodied the solidarity principles valued by millions of Cubans. The declaration was made under constitutional authority granted by Article 125 of the Cuban Constitution and relevant provisions of Law 136 from October 28, 2020.

During the mourning period, the Lone Star Flag will be flown at half-mast on all public buildings and military institutions nationwide. Additionally, all public entertainment and festive activities have been suspended throughout the two-day observance.

The implementation and enforcement of these measures fall under the responsibility of ministers from the Revolutionary Armed Forces, Interior Ministry, and Foreign Affairs Ministry. The decree was formally issued from the Palace of the Revolution on January 4, 2026, designated as the ‘Year of the Centennial of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz.’

Havana witnessed massive demonstrations over the weekend as Cuban leadership and citizens united in vehement condemnation of what they termed “fascist” military aggression against Venezuela. The attack, which reportedly resulted in civilian casualties, has sparked international concern and drawn parallels to historical imperial interventions.

President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez joined citizens at the Anti-Imperialist Tribune to protest both the assault on Venezuelan sovereignty and the alleged kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and First Combatant Cilia Flores. The gathering represented a significant show of solidarity between the two nations, with participants echoing the historic slogan “Cuba and Venezuela, one flag.”

Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, national coordinator of Cuba’s Committees for the Defense of the Revolution, delivered a stark warning about the consequences of imperial aggression. “Humanity must raise its voice and tell the empire that we are in the 21st century,” he declared, criticizing unilateral actions that violate international norms. He emphasized that the bombs striking Venezuelan cities “did not ask who was a Chavista and who was not when they exploded,” highlighting the indiscriminate nature of the attacks.

Cultural and political leaders framed the conflict as a fundamental struggle between opposing forces. Abel Prieto Jiménez, president of Casa de las Américas, characterized it as a battle between “the forces of hatred, war, and death and the forces of sovereignty, dignity, and life.” He invoked Fidel Castro’s famous statement on Vietnam—”We are willing to give even our own blood”—applying it to the current Venezuelan crisis.

Fernando González Llort of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples described the operation as a “cowardly and vile attack” that constitutes “a heinous assault on the aspiration to build a zone of peace.” He warned that the aggression transcends Venezuela’s borders and represents a direct challenge to international law.

The scientific community joined the condemnation, with prominent researcher Belinda Sánchez Ramírez contrasting Cuba’s medical missions with what she called “specialists who cause death and pain.” She warned that today’s target might be Venezuela, but tomorrow it could be “Cuba, Nicaragua, Mexico, or any country with natural resources or independence.”

Medical worker Agnerys Cruz Rodríguez, who spent a decade serving in Venezuela, questioned the international community’s silence: “Where is the United Nations? Where are those who define themselves as defenders of peace?”

Young activists highlighted patterns of imperial strategy, with Adriana Amore Moreno noting a “familiar sequence” of economic sanctions, media warfare, financial blockade, and finally direct aggression. She affirmed that “Venezuela is not alone, because its cause is our cause,” emphasizing that Venezuelan sovereignty remains inseparable from broader Latin American struggles.