Cuba on Thursday received the remains of 32 soldiers killed during a United States intervention in Venezuela’s 2026 military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, paying formal tribute to the fallen troops as national heroes.
The bodies of the Cuban servicemen, who belonged to the nation’s armed forces and intelligence agencies, arrived at Havana’s international airport in caskets draped with Cuban flags. High-ranking officials, including President Miguel Díaz-Canel and former leader Raúl Castro, attended the solemn reception ceremony.
A military band played the national anthem on the tarmac as soldiers and officials paid their respects. A motorcade later transported the remains through Havana to the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, where thousands of citizens lined the streets, waving flags and honouring the troops.
The remains of 32 Cuban soldiers killed during the US raid on Venezuela to extract President Nicolas Maduro arrived in Havana to be returned to their families https://t.co/FUKK7Ly3Ru pic.twitter.com/SCRXTZ5pGQ
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 15, 2026Cuban authorities have said the soldiers died during the January 3 operation in Caracas. Cuba historically provided security support for President Maduro, though it is not fully clear how many of the deceased were directly assigned to his protection at the time of their deaths.
Cuban soldiers killed during US operation in Venezuela returned home https://t.co/JRfT0uOg9B
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 15, 2026The ceremony reflects mounting tensions between Cuba and the United States, which carried out the operation that led to Maduro’s capture and transfer to the United States on drug-related charges. Cuba’s government has condemned the strike and described the losses as a grave sacrifice.
Alongside official ceremonies, large crowds have gathered in Havana to pay homage. The Cuban government has also planned a march in front of the US embassy to protest what it calls aggression.
