Havana lists ranks, ages and photos as it declares two days of mourning following the raid that seized Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
HAVANA, CUBA — Cuba on Tuesday released the names, ranks and ages of 32 citizens killed during a U.S. operation in Caracas that ended with the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The government said the dead served in the Revolutionary Armed Forces or the Interior Ministry and announced two days of national mourning.
Cuban officials framed the announcement as the first full accounting of the island’s losses since the weekend raid in Venezuela. The list includes officers and enlisted personnel who Havana says were stationed in the country under bilateral security agreements. U.S. officials have defended the mission as a targeted action to detain an indicted leader. The disclosure lands as regional bodies weigh next steps, families seek information about remains and Venezuela observes a separate mourning period for its dead. The immediate stakes revolve around accountability, repatriation of bodies and the political fallout across the Americas.
The roster posted by state media identifies the victims as men between 26 and 60. Photographs show them in olive uniforms. Authorities did not describe their specific missions or the exact causes of death. In a televised message, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez said the island would honor those who “fell in combat or under bombardment” and he accused Washington of aggression. The operation began before dawn on Saturday in Caracas, where U.S. forces moved on a military compound that housed Maduro. He was flown out of the country the same day and is now in U.S. custody awaiting court appearances. News of Cuban casualties surfaced over the weekend, followed by the formal publication of names on Tuesday.
At the Organization of American States, a protester interrupted remarks by the U.S. ambassador, who called the strike a targeted law enforcement action. The ambassador said the mission did not constitute an invasion and argued it removed an obstacle to democratic change in Venezuela. In Caracas, authorities reported at least two dozen Venezuelan security officers killed. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared seven days of national mourning. Cuba’s announcement added detail to a casualty picture that has shifted since Saturday. Some families in eastern provinces told local media they had been contacted by officers about funeral logistics. Others said they were still waiting to learn when remains would be returned. Officials did not say how many bodies had been identified or whether repatriations had begun.
Cuba and Venezuela maintain deep ties in security, health and energy that date back more than two decades. Havana has long sent personnel to advise and support Venezuelan agencies, and Venezuela has provided subsidized oil. The scale and roles of Cuban forces in Venezuela are rarely disclosed publicly. The list of the dead includes colonels, majors, captains and lieutenants, alongside a handful of reservists. Independent Cuban outlets noted tributes to a 32-year-old first lieutenant from Guantánamo province and to senior officers said to have managed border and coastal commands. Those accounts could not be independently verified, and officials did not confirm posts that circulated on social media before being removed at the request of families.
Legal and diplomatic questions now move to the foreground. Venezuelan prosecutors have opened inquiries into deaths from the weekend fighting. In Washington, lawmakers signaled possible debate over authorizations governing the use of force in operations abroad. Regional governments have requested briefings at multilateral forums, and foreign ministries are preparing statements about recognition of Venezuela’s acting leadership. Cuban authorities did not say whether they would seek international legal remedies, only that they consider the raid a violation of sovereignty. Court proceedings for Maduro are expected in New York in the coming days, with security arrangements and charges still being finalized. The OAS scheduled follow-up consultations as ambassadors weigh resolutions and possible observer missions.
Across Havana, flags flew at half-staff and neighborhood committees organized small gatherings to honor the dead. Outside the Anti-Imperialist Plaza near the U.S. Embassy, workers paused beside wreaths and black ribbons. “People are angry and sad,” said Ana María González, a retiree from Centro Habana who watched the midday tribute. In Old Havana, a mosquito control worker moved through narrow streets as state television replayed footage of the raid and official statements. In Santiago de Cuba, a mechanic named Daniel Pérez said he learned of his cousin’s death from a commander who came to the family home. “They told us he died doing his duty in Caracas,” Pérez said. “We are waiting for news about when he will come home.”
As of Tuesday evening, Cuba had not released a timetable for returning remains or holding state funerals. Venezuela’s mourning period continues through next week. The OAS plans additional consultations on Wednesday, and U.S. officials said they would provide further details about detainee transfers and injuries to American personnel. Cuba’s two days of mourning begin at midnight, with a national moment of silence scheduled for Wednesday at noon.
Author note: Last updated January 6, 2026.