Milan, Jan. 5 (LaPresse) – The US military operation in Venezuela killed 32 Cuban officers over the weekend. This was stated Sunday by the Cuban government in the first official tally of victims of the American attacks in the South American country. Cuban military and police officers were engaged in a mission that the Caribbean country’s army was carrying out at the request of the Venezuelan government, according to a statement broadcast Sunday evening by Cuban state TV. It is unclear what the Cubans were working on in Venezuela, but Cuba is a close ally of the Venezuelan government and has for years sent military and police forces to support operations. Reports of the deaths circulated on the island over the weekend. “You know, many Cubans were killed yesterday,” US President Donald Trump confirmed to journalists aboard Air Force One during the return flight Sunday evening from Florida to Washington. “There were many deaths on the other side. No deaths on our side,” he added.
The Cuban government announced two days of mourning for the killed officers, and former president and revolutionary leader Raúl Castro and President Miguel Díaz-Canel sent condolences to their families. The names of the victims and their positions were not immediately disclosed by Cuban authorities. “Faithful to their security and defense responsibilities, our compatriots performed their duty with dignity and heroism and fell after fierce resistance in direct combat against the aggressors or following the bombing of the facilities,” read the official statement.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, also highlighted Cuban involvement in Venezuela over the weekend, stating that Maduro’s internal security apparatus was led by Cubans who were “supporting Maduro.” “All the guards who help protect Maduro – this is well known – their entire intelligence agency was full of Cubans,” Rubio said.
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