Venezuela and Cuba declare national mourning for those killed in U.S. capture of Maduro

Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez on Tuesday declared seven days of mourning for members of the military killed in the U.S. raid over the weekend to capture leader Nicolas Maduro.

Pro-government protesters burn an U.S. flag Monday in Caracas.

“We have officially declared seven days of national mourning for the martyrs, who sacrificed their lives in defense of our holy homeland during the criminal military attack carried out by the U.S. government on January 3, 2026,” she said.

An estimated 30 Venezuelan officers and civilians were killed in the attack, although Venezuela says it still counting the dead and injured.

On Sunday, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto said that the United States had struck civilian and military facilities in Caracas, describing Washington’s actions as military aggression. A state of emergency was declared in Venezuela.

Meanwhile, Cuba said Monday that 32 of its citizens had been killed in the U.S. attack in Venezuela, including military or intelligence personnel — a rare public signal of Cuba’s involvement in the Maduro government.

President Miguel Díaz-Canel of Cuba said the casualties were personnel from the country’s armed forces or its interior ministry who were on a mission at the request of Venezuela, according to Cuban state media. “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,” Mr. Díaz-Canel said. He announced two days of mourning.

Speaking at a news conference earlier in the week, the UN chief’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that the United Nations was currently trying to collect more information about those killed in the US military operation in Venezuela. The New York Times earlier put the death toll from the US operation in Caracas at around 80.