The deaths of Cuban security guards during the capture of Nicolás Maduro in Caracas once again place Cuba at the center of a military operation that the regime tries to portray as “heroic,” while it is described from Washington as a direct and bloody confrontation with armed Cuban forces.
The Deputy Chief of Staff at the White House, Stephen Miller, stated on Monday that the operation carried out by U.S. special forces resulted in a “fierce gun battle” in which the Cuban guards protecting Maduro “suffered a massive number of casualties.”
"The overwhelming majority of the casualties and deaths that occurred were against the Cuban guards who had exerted control over the people of Venezuela," Miller said in an interview with Jake Tapper on the program The Lead on CNN.
According to the high-ranking official, U.S. troops directly encountered armed Cuban guards during the assault in Caracas. Miller also stated that the death toll publicly reported by Havana "is likely lower than the actual number" of fatalities.
The statements come after the Cuban Ministry of the Interior (MININT) confirmed the death of 32 Cuban escorts during the operation, without disclosing their identities, and that Miguel Díaz-Canel declared two days of national mourning, praising the “heroic actions” of the fallen.
While the Cuban regime avoids providing names, ages, or personal stories of the deceased, the tone in Washington was radically different. Miller emphasized that U.S. casualties were minimal and that all wounded military personnel are in stable condition, highlighting the "skill, precision, courage, and extraordinary capability" of the special forces.
"Every recorded death was a death of an enemy," the official added, a statement that contrasts with the official discourse from Havana, which portrays the escorts as victims of a "terrorist" and "criminal" attack.
When asked about possible civilian casualties, Miller stated that he did not see reports of non-combatant victims, reinforcing the U.S. version that the confrontation was limited to armed forces protecting the Venezuelan leader.
The words of the deputy chief of staff reinforce what President Donald Trump had already hinted at, who publicly acknowledged that Cubans died while trying to protect Maduro, and once again linked Havana to the support of the Chavista regime.
For many Cubans, both on the island and abroad, the question remains the same: who were those 32 men sent to die far from their homeland, in a war that was not theirs? While those in power speak of honor and glory, families remain in anonymity, trapped between mourning and official silence.
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