Havana says Cuban military and intelligence personnel killed in Maduro raid

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — The national flag of Cuba is seen in this photo published to Unsplash by Mauro Lima, May 4, 2023.

By Marc Frank

HAVANA, Jan 4  -  The Cuban government said on Sunday that 32 of its citizens were killed during the U.S. raid on Venezuela to extract President Nicolas Maduro for prosecution in the United States. 

Havana said there would be two days of mourning on January 5 and 6 in honor of those killed and said funeral arrangements would be announced.

The Cuban government statement gave few details, but said all the dead were members of the Cuban armed forces and intelligence agencies.

"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. 

Maduro was indicted in 2020 on U.S. charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy. He has always denied any criminal involvement.

 (Reporting by Marc Frank; Editing by Tom Hogue and Michael Perry // REUTERS)