Cuban government has said 32 of its citizens had been killed in the US attacks in Venezuela, including military or intelligence personnel, a rare public signal of Cuba’s importance to Venezuela and the Maduro government.
According to Cuban state media, President Miguel Díaz-Canel of Cuba said the casualties were personnel from the country’s armed forces or its interior ministry who were on a mission at the request of Venezuela,
“Our compatriots fulfilled their duty with dignity and heroism and fell, after fierce resistance, in direct combat against the attackers or as a result of the bombings,” Mr. Díaz-Canel said. He announced two days of mourning.
The revelation was an exceptional public admission by Cuba – whose leftist government has deep, long-standing ties with Venezuela’s – that its agents are in the country.
“True to their responsibilities concerning security and defense, our compatriots fulfilled their duty with dignity and heroism and fell, after fierce resistance, in direct combat against the attackers or as a result of bombings on the facilities,” the statement said.
Cuba has provided some security for Maduro since he came to power. It was not clear how many Cubans were guarding the Venezuelan president when they died and how many may have perished elsewhere.
Maduro, 63, and his wife Cilia Flores were seized by U.S. forces in the Venezuela capital Caracas on Saturday and flown to the United States. Maduro is being held in a New York detention center awaiting a Monday court appearance on drug charges.