At least 56 Cuban and Venezuelan soldiers died during the military operation ‘Absolute Resolution’, which the United States launched against several points in Caracas and three states near the Venezuelan capital to capture the president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, on January 3.
Information about the victims has emerged little by little in recent days and the full extent of Washington’s attack against the South American country is still unknown, which also caused civilian deaths, according to the Venezuelan Government.
After the Venezuelan authorities did not specify any figures since the day of the attack, the Bolivarian National Armed Forces announced that at least 24 of its soldiers died and said goodbye to them this Tuesday at a funeral.
This branch of the Army highlighted that the victims “never bowed” in the face of an operation “disproportionately” inclined towards the United States in “volume of fire, technology and surgical precision.”
The Attorney General, Tarek William Saab, announced this Tuesday the appointment of three officials to investigate what he estimates are “dozens” of deaths.
The identity of the Cuban victims
The Government of Cuba announced last Sunday that 32 of its soldiers also died in the US attack and decreed two days of national mourning that end this Tuesday, precisely the day on which it revealed the identities of the deceased.
Additional information: Venezuelan Prosecutor’s Office announces investigation into ‘dozens’ of deaths after US attack
Among the victims, the presence of two colonels, a lieutenant colonel, four majors and three captains, all from the Ministry of the Interior (Minint), stands out, as well as nine soldiers in reserve, the latter from the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (Minfar). Members of the Intelligence services also lost their lives.
The youngest soldier killed is a lieutenant of the Minint, 26 years old, while the oldest is a colonel, 67 years old.
According to the island government, the deceased Cubans “fell after fierce resistance in direct combat against the attackers or as a result of the bombings.”
Many analysts had pointed out that Maduro’s first personal security circle was made up mainly of Cubans, something that Caracas and Havana had never confirmed.
The mystery about civilian deaths
While information on military casualties is becoming clearer, the unknown remains regarding civilian deaths caused by US bombings.
Saab assured that there were “dozens of innocent civilian casualties” in addition to the military, echoing the statements that other senior Chavismo officials have made in recent days.
This Monday, a dozen people said goodbye to Rosa Elena González, 80 years old and resident of the state of La Guaira, near Caracas, who died as a result of the attacks.
His apartment, which was completely destroyed, was near the Military Academy of the Bolivarian Navy, one of the targets of the bombings.
Venezuelan sources cited by The New York Times revealed around 80 deaths in the operation, a figure that is still far from the 56 Cuban and Venezuelan soldiers confirmed by the authorities.
On the American side, officials in Washington said that half a dozen soldiers were wounded, although Donald Trump would not confirm the figures but boasted that he had not recorded any casualties.
With information from EFE
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