Cuba Reports Death of 32 Cuban Fighters in US Raids in Venezuela

Cuba Mourns Following American Raids

The Cuban government has announced the death of 32 citizens during raids conducted by the United States military, which aimed to abduct Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from Caracas. Havana declared that two days of mourning will be observed on January 5 and 6 in honor of the deceased, with further details about funeral arrangements to be communicated.

The state news agency Prensa Latina reported that the Cuban "fighters" were killed while "carrying out missions" on behalf of the country's military at the request of the Venezuelan government. The agency cited a governmental statement, mentioning that the fallen Cubans had "fought directly against the attackers or as a result of bombing raids on facilities," after providing "fierce resistance." This statement from Havana marks the first official acknowledgment of the deaths.

Cuba, a close ally of the Venezuelan government, has sent military and police forces to assist with operations in this Latin American country for years. The American operation on Saturday aimed at kidnapping Maduro and his wife, to face justice in New York based on drug-related charges. The Venezuelan leader is scheduled to appear in court in New York on Monday. US President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, stated that "many Cubans" were killed in the raid in Venezuela. "There was a lot of death on the other side. No death on our side," he added.