Venezuela honours Cuban fighters killed in US operation

Venezuela (officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela) paid tribute to 32 Cuban fighters who lost their lives while carrying out duties under cooperation and defence missions, Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto said.

In a Telegram post, the minister noted that their deaths followed what Caracas described as a “criminal and vile” US attack on Venezuelan territory on the night of January 3, Caliber.Az reports.

The official statement emphasised that the fallen performed their duties with courage and self-sacrifice, and Venezuela expressed deep gratitude for their sacrifice in defending sovereignty and regional cooperation.

The deaths of the 32 Cuban military and police officers occurred during a US military operation in Venezuela that aimed to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife on charges of narco‑terrorism. 

Cuba confirmed the casualties and declared two days of national mourning, while acknowledging its personnel were in Venezuela at Caracas’s request.

The US action, part of a mission widely reported under the code name Operation Absolute Resolve, involved airstrikes and a rapid seizure of Maduro in Caracas, sharply escalating geopolitical tensions in the region.

By Jeyhun Aghazada