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Cuba has repatriated the bodies of 32 military and security personnel killed during the United States military operation in Venezuela earlier this month. The soldiers, who were part of Nicolás Maduro's protection detail, died when U.S. forces entered the Venezuelan leader's compound on January 3.
Casualties and diplomatic fallout
The Venezuelan government reports over 100 fatalities during the raid, which resulted in Maduro's detention and transfer to New York on drug trafficking charges. The Cuban fatalities mark the highest number of Cuban combat deaths at the hands of U.S. forces since the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion.
Honors and public mourning
The remains arrived in Havana and will be transported to the Ministry of the Armed Forces, where citizens may pay their respects. Memorial events are planned across Cuba, culminating in a protest outside the U.S. embassy on Friday before the soldiers are laid to rest with full military honors.
Economic and political tensions escalate
U.S. President Donald Trump has intensified pressure on Cuba, declaring the country "ready to fall" and announcing that Venezuela's interim government, led by Delcy Rodríguez, will halt oil shipments-a critical lifeline for Cuba's struggling economy. The communist nation, already grappling with severe energy shortages and food scarcity, faces further hardship if the supply cutoff proceeds.
Cuban response and public anxiety
The Cuban government has pledged to resist U.S. sanctions and the economic embargo but concerns mount among citizens over basic necessities, including power and food access. Analysts warn the deepening conflict could exacerbate the island's ongoing crisis.
"We will continue to resist, but the stakes for our people have never been higher," a Cuban official stated.
