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55 killed, including 32 Cubans and 23 Venezuelans, in US raid to capture Maduro
In what was the first confirmation of losses in the country due to the American raids, Venezuela’s military said that 23 of its service members were killed.
As many as 55 Venezuelan and Cuban military personnel were killed during a special raid carried out by the United States to capture Venezuela’s leader Nicolas Maduro, according to death tolls published by Caracas and Havana.
Venezuela has yet to confirm the number of civilian casualties from the operation, during which US forces detained Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and took them to the United States to stand trial, where they pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and other charges.
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55 military personnel killed in US raids
In what was the first confirmation of losses in the country due to the American raids, Venezuela’s military said that 23 of its service members were killed in the attacks.
Meanwhile, Cuba announced that 32 members of its armed forces and interior ministry security personnel who were given tasks in Caracas died in the raids. The Cuban death toll ranged from 26 to 67 years of age and included two colonels and a lieutenant colonel.
Many of those killed were believed to be Cubans serving in Maduro’s security team, which was almost completely destroyed in the strikes, Venezuela’s defence minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said.
The operation started with air strikes on military sites and ended when US special forces arrived by helicopter and took Maduro and his wife from a compound.
On Tuesday, Rodriguez announced one week of mourning for the people who died in the US attacks in Venezuela, news agency AFP reported. “I have decided to decree seven days of mourning to the honour and glory of the young people, women and men who gave up their lives defending Venezuela and President Nicolas Maduro,” she said.
US gets oil, Rodriguez promoted: How Venezuela looks post-Maduro
Delcy Rodriguez, who was vice president under the toppled leader, was sworn in as the interim president on Monday. She now faces the challenge of balancing efforts to respond to US President Donald Trump’s demands while also keeping Maduro supporters on her side.
She has sought to show unity with hardliners in Maduro’s administration, who control the security forces and powerful paramilitaries that have been patrolling the streets since the former leader was captured.
Meanwhile, Trump has declared that Venezuela would send up to 50 million barrels of oil to the US and claimed that the proceeds would benefit both countries.
“I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America,” he wrote in a social media post.
“This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!” Trump added.
With inputs from agencies
