MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Maduro's arrest leaves between 40 and 80 dead, including 32 Cubans

“Many Cubans died yesterday protecting Maduro,” Trump said on his way to the White House

Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday, US President Donald Trump addressed the mounting death toll from the “Operation Absolute Resolve” raid in Caracas to abduct former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and outlined his administration’s new doctrine regarding ties with Latin American countries.

 

Trump confirmed that the operation encountered significant resistance from a foreign-backed security detail. During the fighting, 32 Cuban military personnel were killed at Fuerte Tiuna, figures later confirmed by Havana.

 

While the Trump administration has not released an official casualty count, reports from Venezuela indicate that the overall death toll ranges between 40 and 80 people, including military personnel and civilians affected by the strikes. Reuters reported that Venezuelan authorities have acknowledged fatalities but have so far declined to publish official figures, making an independent verification of total casualties impossible at this stage.

The United States has maintained that no American service members were killed during the operation, according to official statements. However, no detailed breakdown of possible injuries has been publicly released, and agencies note that casualty information remains incomplete.

Trump used the outcome of the mission to issue blunt warnings to other regional leaders, suggesting his administration was prepared to replicate what he described as the “Maduro model” elsewhere. “Operation Colombia sounds good,” Trump remarked, adding that President Gustavo Petro would not be “running Colombia for much longer.”

On Cuba, Trump said he saw little need for further action: “I don’t think we need any action… they have no income. They received all their income from Venezuela.”

Referring to Mexico, Trump described President Claudia Sheinbaum as a “wonderful person,” but claimed she was too “afraid” of drug cartels. “Like it or not… the cartels rule Mexico,” he insisted.

Meanwhile, the UN Security Council is expected to convene on Monday at the request of Colombia, Russia, and China to debate what they have described as a “colonial war” and a potential violation of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, amid growing international concern over the legality of the operation.