and last updated 2:39 AM, Jan 07, 2026
At least 24 Venezuelan security officers were killed in the dead-of-night U.S. military operation to capture Nicolás Maduro and spirit him to the United States to face drug charges, officials said Tuesday.
Venezuela’s Attorney General Tarek William Saab said overall “dozens” of officials and civilians were killed in the strike and that prosecutors would investigate the deaths in what he described as a “war crime.” He didn’t specify if the estimate was specifically referring to Venezuelans.
At least 24 Venezuelan security officers were killed in the dead-of-night U.S. military operation to capture Nicolás Maduro and spirit him to the United States to face drug charges, officials said Tuesday.
Venezuela’s Attorney General Tarek William Saab said overall “dozens” of officials and civilians were killed in the strike and that prosecutors would investigate the deaths in what he described as a “war crime.” He didn’t specify if the estimate was specifically referring to Venezuelans.
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In addition to the Venezuelan security officials, Cuba’s government on Sunday announced that 32 Cuban military and police officers working in Venezuela were killed in the raid. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller on Monday said U.S. officials believe that the Cuban government, which provided Maduro with security protection in Caracas, was undercounting the death toll of its personnel.
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The U.S. has said some of the nearly 200 U.S. personnel who took part in the operation were injured but none were killed. The Pentagon has not provided any details about the injuries despite multiple inquiries over several days.
A video tribute to the slain Venezuelan security officials posted to the military’s Instagram features faces of the fallen over black-and-white videos of soldiers, American aircraft flying over Caracas and armored vehicles destroyed by the blasts.
