Death toll from Maduro's arrest operation in Venezuela and Cuba

In a series of rapid developments following the swift military operation in Caracas, authorities in both Venezuela and Cuba announced on Tuesday the official death toll among their security and military forces as a result of the US operation that led to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Official figures revealed that 55 military and security personnel from both countries were killed, in an event that has shaken political circles in Latin America and around the world.

Details of Cuban losses

Havana released a list containing the names of 32 members of the Cuban security forces who died during the operation. According to details provided by the Cuban authorities, the dead are distributed as follows:

• 21 people were killed who belonged to the Cuban Ministry of the Interior, including three senior officers, indicating the depth of the Cuban security presence in decision-making and protection circles in Venezuela.
• Eleven of the dead belonged to the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces, most of them soldiers.

This large number of Cuban victims reflects the extent of close military and security cooperation between Havana and Caracas, where Cuba has for years played a pivotal role in providing intelligence support and training private security forces for the Venezuelan leadership.

Venezuelan Army: Cold-blooded assassination

For its part, the Venezuelan army the loss of 23 soldiers who fell defending the presidential palace and strategic sites via its official Instagram account. Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino had declared on Sunday, in a highly angry tone, that President Maduro's bodyguards had been subjected to what he described as "cold-blooded assassination."

Padrino noted that US forces carried out an air strike targeting the capital, Caracas, and three other states, with the aim of paralyzing Venezuelan forces and facilitating the landing and arrest operation that targeted Maduro and his wife.

Details of the US operation and the international context

According to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the lightning operation was carried out on Friday-Saturday night with the participation of about 200 special forces soldiers, supported by intensive air cover consisting of 150 aircraft to secure the operation and isolate the area.

This operation culminates years of escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas. The United States has long considered the Maduro government illegitimate, and the US Department of Justice has previously indicted him on charges of terrorism and drug trafficking, offering a substantial reward for information leading to his capture. This direct military action is seen as a radical shift in Washington's policy toward Latin America, moving beyond economic sanctions to direct military intervention.

Regional repercussions and international concerns

This event raises widespread concerns about regional stability, with several countries and organizations, including the United Nations, considering such operations to be a violation of international law and state sovereignty. It also highlights the strategic alliance between Venezuela and Cuba, as the killing of Cuban soldiers on Venezuelan soil is seen as concrete evidence of Havana's involvement in Venezuelan security matters, which could draw Cuba into a wider conflict with the United States in the future.