The remains of the Cuban bodyguards killed during the US military action in Venezuela were brought back to their home country today. Acting on President Donald Trump's orders, the US military captured Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife, flying them to America to be indicted.
During these operations, 32 Cubans who were acting as bodyguards, reportedly lost their lives. A video of their remains being brought back to Cuba has gone viral online and sparked bizarre claims of a ‘shrink ray’ being used.
The claims arose because the video showed small boxes being carried off a plane, to honor their fallen soldiers.
The claims of a ‘shrink ray’ or ‘shrink gun’ being used was amplified by several profiles on X, though they're all unverified accounts. “We used a shrink ray on them,” one person commented. Another remarked, “Apparently, Delta Force's super secret weapon is not sonic but a shrink ray!”.
Also Read | 'Make deal before it's too late': Trump threatens Cuba with 'no oil, no money' after Venezuela action
Did US use a 'shrink ray' in Venezuela?
{{/usCountry}}The claims of a ‘shrink ray’ or ‘shrink gun’ being used was amplified by several profiles on X, though they're all unverified accounts. “We used a shrink ray on them,” one person commented. Another remarked, “Apparently, Delta Force's super secret weapon is not sonic but a shrink ray!”.
Also Read | 'Make deal before it's too late': Trump threatens Cuba with 'no oil, no money' after Venezuela action
Did US use a 'shrink ray' in Venezuela?
{{/usCountry}}Despite the claims online, no available reports indicate that the US armed forces used a ‘shrink ray’ in Venezuela. The boxes carrying the fallen Cuban soldiers are small because they carried their cremated remains.
BBC reported that the country's leadership from Raul Castro to President Miguel Diaz Canel were present at Havana's airport to receive the remains of the soldiers who'd died. The boxes were taken to the Armed Forces Ministry and inside the building, each box was draped in a Cuban flag and then put next to a photograph of the respective soldier or intelligence officer. This was placed beneath the words ‘honor and glory’ as per the publication.
While this explains the casket sizes and moves away from the bizarre claims of a 'shrink ray' being used, reports have claimed that the US resorted to a ‘powerful mystery weapon’ during the operations against Maduro.
A powerful ‘mystery weapon’ in play?
A New York Post report cited a Venezuelan guard who described it as a ‘very intense sound wave.’
“I felt like my head was exploding from the inside,” he said, adding that soldiers were left bleeding from their noses, and vomiting. Many collapsed to the ground and were unable to move, as per the witness. “We were hundreds, but we had no chance,” the guard also claimed in the report. While the US did not officially comment on the use of any such weapon, the account of the attack was shared on X on White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt's profile, pushing it more into the spotlight.