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The interim president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, stated that the Cuban and Venezuelan military personnel who died during the U.S. military operation that ended with the capture of Nicolás Maduro should be regarded as "heroes and heroines of the homeland."
In an official tribute held in honor of those who fell on January 3, he referred to them as "heroes and heroines of the homeland of Simón Bolívar" and explicitly included the 32 Cuban combatants.
"The brothers of Cuba, children of Martí and Fidel, are also heroes and heroines of the homeland, because as one people they fought in defense against illegal and illegitimate aggression," he added.
Rodríguez defended the use of weapons as a tool for the protection of the State and national sovereignty.
"The weapons are meant to protect the Republic, the weapons are meant to defend our country, our homeland, our sovereignty, our dignity, and our morals," he stated.
The official emphasized what she described as the spiritual cohesion of the Venezuelan people in the face of foreign aggression and underscored that Venezuela is not a "warlike" country, but rather a state that, as she claimed, is guided by dignity and a "deep spiritual wealth."
In her speech, the acting president affirmed that the nation will continue to present itself to the world with "its head held high" and an "unbreakable spirit" in the face of any attempt at subordination.
Rodríguez also announced the creation of a commission for the comprehensive support of the families of the fallen combatants.
It was also reported that a monument will be built to preserve the memory of those who, according to his account, "did not yield to foreign aggression."
During the event, the leader reaffirmed her loyalty to Nicolás Maduro, whom she described as "kidnapped," as well as to Cilia Flores.
"We are committed to not resting until we see them free, back home and back in their homeland," he declared.
The tribute was held with the presence of the leadership of the interim Venezuelan government and the Cuban foreign minister, Bruno Rodríguez, which underscores the continuity of the strategic ties between Caracas and Havana, and aims to reinforce the political alliance discourse of both regimes.
In the days following the operation that culminated in the capture of Nicolás Maduro, Cuba made public the identities of the 32 deceased Cubans during the United States' attack on Venezuela.
The deceased, members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior, and according to the Government, were personnel who "carried out missions at the request of counterpart agencies in Venezuela," which constituted an official acknowledgment of the Cuban military presence in the Andean country, a reality that Havana had denied for years.
The list included high-ranking officers, captains, lieutenants, and soldiers aged between 26 and 67, including two colonels and three majors, and it was presented as the first public acknowledgment of the scale of the casualties.
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