Cuba says 32 of its citizens killed in Maduro extraction

HAVANA: The Cuban government said on Sunday that 32 of its citizens were killed during the U.S. raid on Venezuela to extract President Nicolas Maduro for prosecution in the United States.

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Cuba says its military and intelligence personnel died fighting US forces during the operation that seized Maduro.
Havana declares two days of mourning and says the fallen acted with "dignity and heroism."
Maduro and his wife were captured in Caracas and flown to the US, where he faces longstanding drug-related charges.

Havana said there would be two days of mourning on January 5 and 6 in honor of those killed and said funeral arrangements would be announced.

The Cuban government statement gave few details, but said all the dead were members of the Cuban armed forces and intelligence agencies.

"True to their responsibilities concerning security and defense, 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 bombings on the facilities," the statement said.

Cuba has provided some security for Maduro since he came to power. It was not clear how many Cubans were guarding the Venezuelan president when they died and how many may have perished elsewhere.

Maduro, 63, and his wife Cilia Flores were seized by U.S. forces in the Venezuela capital Caracas on Saturday and flown to the United States. Maduro is being held in a New York detention center awaiting a Monday court appearance on drug charges.

Maduro was indicted in 2020 on U.S. charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy. He has always denied any criminal involvement.