Cuba Says 32 Citizens Killed in U.S. Attacks in Venezuela

Cuba said on Sunday that 32 of its citizens had been killed in U.S. attacks in Venezuela, including military or intelligence personnel, President Miguel Díaz-Canel said, according to Cuban state media.

Mr. Díaz-Canel said the casualties were personnel from Cuba’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,” he said, and he announced two days of mourning.

The revelation was an exceptional public admission by Cuba of the presence of its agents in Venezuela. For years, Cuba has sent thousands of its citizens to Venezuela in exchange for oil — many teachers and doctors, but also intelligence agents and security guards.

The New York Times reported in December that President Nicolás Maduro had expanded Cuban bodyguards’ role and placed more Cuban counterintelligence agents in Venezuela’s military. Now it appears that some of those Cubans may have died when U.S. forces swept in on Saturday; Venezuela said on Sunday that the preliminary death count in the attacks was 80.

Key Topics

World, Cuba, Venezuela, Miguel Díaz-canel, Nicolás Maduro, U.s. Airstrikes