Cuba has announced that 32 of its citizens were killed during the United States military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday.
The Cuban government said the nationals died whilst 'carrying out missions' on behalf of the country's Revolutionary Armed Forces and Ministry of the Interior at the request of Venezuelan authorities, according to Al Jazeera.
Havana declared two days of mourning on 5 and 6 January in honour of those killed, with funeral arrangements to be announced.
The Cuban government condemned what it called a 'criminal attack' by the United States against Venezuela, stating that 32 Cubans died in combat, CNN reported.
Cuban Forces Offered 'Fierce Resistance'
State-run Prensa Latina agency said the Cuban 'fighters' were killed whilst 'carrying out missions' for Venezuela's government.
The slain Cubans died in direct combat or from bombing of facilities after offering 'fierce resistance', the agency reported.
The US military operation, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, involved more than 150 aircraft and US Army Delta Force special operations units.
US President Donald Trump acknowledged the Cuban casualties on Sunday whilst aboard Air Force One. 'A lot of Cubans were killed yesterday', Trump told reporters, adding that 'many Cubans lost their lives' protecting Maduro, ABC reported.
Trump added that there was 'no death on our side' during the operation.
Trump Hints Cuba Could Be Next Target
The US president suggested that Cuba may not need military intervention as the country appears 'ready to fall' on its own.
Trump said Cuba is 'ready to fall' and claimed the country has no income now that it has lost Venezuelan oil subsidies. 'They got all of their income from Venezuela', Trump said. 'Cuba literally is ready to fall.'
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is Cuban American, issued a stark warning to Havana's leadership, saying they should be 'concerned' about potential consequences.
Rubio described Cuba as a 'disaster' run by 'incompetent, senile men' and said many of the people who helped Maduro were Cubans, according to NBC News.
Rubio said Venezuela must declare independence from Cuba, which he accused of attempting to colonise the country from a security standpoint.
Cuba-Venezuela Alliance Under Pressure
Cuba is a close ally of Venezuela and has sent military and police forces to assist operations in the South American country for years.
For decades, Cuba has relied on Venezuelan oil in exchange for Cuban doctors and security personnel. Maduro's capture represents a seismic reversal for Havana's economy.
'For decades, first Chavez and then Maduro warned of a US intervention', one Havana resident told CNN. 'But when it finally happened, no one was ready for it.'
Maduro Faces Court Appearance
Maduro and his wife were flown to New York to face narcoterrorism charges. The Venezuelan leader is scheduled to appear in Manhattan federal court at noon on Monday.
Venezuelan Defence Minister General Vladimir Padrino said the US attack killed soldiers, civilians, and a 'large part' of Maduro's security detail 'in cold blood'.
International Condemnation
Honor y gloria a los bravos combatientes cubanos que cayeron enfrentando a terroristas en uniforme imperial, que secuestraron y sacaron ilegalmente de su país al Presidente de #Venezuela y esposa, cuyas vidas ayudaban a proteger los nuestros por solicitud de esa hermana nación. pic.twitter.com/kJmhFjY5Zn
— Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) January 5, 2026
Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel condemned the operation as 'state terrorism against the brave Venezuelan people'.
The raid has drawn comparisons to the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion and sparked condemnation from Russia, China, Iran, Mexico, and Colombia.
