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One of the 32 Cuban military personnel killed during the U.S. military operation in Venezuela, which culminated in the capture of Nicolás Maduro on January 3, has been identified.
It is about Colonel Humberto Alfonso Roca, 67 years old, who according to social media posts was part of the senior command of Maduro's Security Device, serving as one of the key leaders of the personal protection scheme for the Chavista leader.
Images and references shared by the reporter and activist Mag Jorge Castro and other users on social media indicate that Roca was not only assigned to the direct protection of Maduro, but he was also present at high-profile events, even escorting personalities such as Pope Francis or former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry during their visits to Cuba in 2015.
With over three decades of service in the Personal Security Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior (MININT), the colonel also formed part of the so-called first ring of security for Fidel Castro, accompanying him on numerous official trips, international summits, and high-level diplomatic events.
According to internal sources from the regime itself, Humberto Alfonso Roca Sánchez is said to have been an active member of the Intelligence Directorate, which strengthens his profile as a trusted operator of the Cuban repressive apparatus both inside and outside the Island.
There are also photographic records that confirm his participation in high-level security operations, including his presence in the escort for the late Pope Francis during his visit to Cuba.
Additionally, as part of the security detail that protected then-United States Secretary of State John Kerry during his official visit to Havana.
The Cuban regime recently published the names and photographs of the 32 military personnel who lost their lives in Venezuela, all of whom were members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior of Cuba, including colonels, majors, lieutenants, and lower-ranking officers.
The authorities of Havana declared two days of national mourning in honor of the deceased and presented them as heroes who "fulfilled their duty with dignity and heroism."
For years, Cuban officials and agents have been part of the security and intelligence structure that protected Maduro's regime, even after Hugo Chávez's death.
International security experts had previously documented the presence of Cuban personnel in the restructuring and oversight of high-ranking Venezuelan officials, giving Havana direct influence within the intelligence and protection systems of Chávez's regime.
The death of Roca and other Cuban officials highlights the depth of that military cooperation at a time of peak geopolitical tension between the United States, Cuba, and Venezuela following the U.S. operation to capture Maduro and bring him to trial in New York on federal charges.
Analysts point out that the prolonged presence of Cuban advisors and security forces alongside Maduro was a central pillar for the survival of the Chavista regime for years, and that their defeat in the U.S. operation also represents a symbolic blow to Cuba's capacity for influence in the region.
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