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The Venezuelan regime paid tribute this Thursday to the 32 Cuban soldiers who died during the operation in which Nicolás Maduro was captured by U.S. forces on January 3rd.
The ceremony, held in Caracas, was marked by the presence of high-ranking officials from the Bolivarian Army and messages of support for the Cuban government.
In an official statement disseminated by state media such as CNC TV Granma and Telesur, the Venezuelan government asserted that the deceased "offered their lives fulfilling their duty" as part of bilateral cooperation and defense missions.
The text held the United States Government responsible for the "criminal and infamous attack" that led to the deaths of the Cuban soldiers.
"His performance was characterized by bravery, discipline, and commitment to peace and regional stability," states the statement, which explicitly thanks President Miguel Díaz-Canel and Army General Raúl Castro for their "support and steadfast solidarity."
The authorities in Havana published an official list of the deceased that sparked outrage and grief on social media.
The tribute has sparked a strong wave of criticism among Cubans both on the island and abroad, who question the involvement of national military personnel in operations supporting the regime of Nicolás Maduro.
Many social media users labeled it "shameful" and "absurd" that young Cubans are dying in foreign conflicts.
Analysts consulted by independent media emphasize that the military cooperation between Havana and Caracas, active since the days of Hugo Chávez, has been one of the most opaque sources of the relationship between the two regimes.
The death of the 32 Cubans could open a new front of discontent in Cuban society, which is increasingly critical of the political use of the so-called "internationalist missions."
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