Cuba has declared two days of national mourning after confirming that 32 Cuban military and police officers were killed during the United States operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The announcement marks the first acknowledged combat casualties between US and Cuban forces in decades, dramatically escalating tensions between the Cold War-era adversaries.
The Cuban government announced on Sunday, January 5, 2026, that January 5 and 6 would be observed as days of national mourning to honor those killed in what Havana described as "criminal US aggression." Former President and revolutionary leader Raúl Castro and current President Miguel Díaz-Canel sent personal condolences to the families of the fallen officers.
According to Cuba's state-run Prensa Latina news agency, the 32 Cuban "fighters" were killed while "carrying out missions" on behalf of the Cuban military at the request of the Venezuelan government. The agency reported that the slain Cubans "fell in direct combat against the attackers or as a result of the bombing of the facilities" after offering "fierce resistance" to US forces.
The presence of Cuban military personnel in Venezuela has long been known but rarely acknowledged publicly. Cuba has maintained close ties with Venezuela's socialist government for decades, providing military advisors, intelligence personnel, and security experts. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the Cuban involvement, stating that Maduro's internal security apparatus was heavily staffed by Cubans who were "propping up" the Venezuelan leader.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel took to social media to denounce the operation, declaring that "Cuba denounces and demands an URGENT reaction from the international community against the criminal attack of the US against Venezuela." The Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez called the strikes "cowardly acts against a nation that has not attacked the US or any other country."
The deaths of Cuban officers in the US operation represents a significant escalation in what was already a historic military action. The operation, codenamed "Operation Absolute Resolve," involved more than 150 US aircraft and resulted in the capture of Maduro from his compound in Caracas in the early morning hours of January 3. Maduro is now being held in a federal detention facility in Brooklyn, New York, awaiting his first court appearance.
The Cuban casualties come at a particularly difficult time for the island nation, which has been grappling with severe economic hardship, frequent power outages, and an ongoing migration crisis. The loss of its close ally Maduro and the deaths of military personnel could further destabilize the Castro government's hold on power.
International reaction to the Cuban casualties has been mixed, with allies of Cuba and Venezuela condemning what they call an act of war, while US officials defend the operation as a necessary action against narco-terrorism. The coming days of mourning in Cuba are expected to feature public memorials and demonstrations against US policy in Latin America.
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