January 6, 2026 l Dalena Reporters
CARACAS — At least 24 Venezuelan security officers were killed in the U.S. military operation that captured President Nicolás Maduro early this weekend, Venezuelan officials confirmed, deepening controversy over the raid and its human cost. The deaths, which include members of Maduro’s own protective forces, contribute to a widening casualty toll that also encompasses allied personnel and civilians in the heart of the Venezuelan capital.
Venezuela’s Attorney-General Tarek William Saab announced on January 6 that a minimum of two dozen Venezuelan security officials lost their lives during the operation, which was staged under cover of darkness as elite U.S. special forces stormed Maduro’s fortified compound in Caracas. Saab said “dozens” of officers and civilians were killed, and prosecutors would investigate the incident as part of a broader review of the violence.
In addition to the Venezuelan fatalities, the Cuban government reported that 32 Cuban military and police personnel stationed in Venezuela were killed, prompting Havana to declare two days of national mourning as a tribute to its fallen servicemembers. Cuban officials described their personnel as acting in support of Venezuelan security forces at the time of the U.S. assault.
The deaths of close-protection and security personnel underscore the lethal intensity of the clash that accompanied Maduro’s capture, which U.S. authorities have defended as a necessary measure against the Venezuelan leader’s alleged involvement in international narco-terrorism and drug trafficking. The Trump administration has characterised the mission as a “successful” execution of law enforcement objectives despite the high casualty toll an account that has drawn widespread global scrutiny and condemnation.
Beyond official tallies of security forces lost, the operation’s overall human cost remains under assessment, with multiple reports indicating that civilian casualties may also have occurred in the urban conflict zone as military aircraft and ground units engaged targets within Caracas. Venezuela’s interim government, led by Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, has declared a seven-day period of national mourning in honour of the fallen security personnel.
The violent fallout from the raid has reignited debate over the legality and geopolitical ramifications of the U.S. action, drawing criticism from international organisations and governments that argue such an incursion violates sovereignty and the U.N. Charter, while supporters claim it marks a decisive blow against corruption and criminal networks in Venezuela.
As forensic and legal inquiries proceed, the deaths of those who lost their lives in the operation are shaping narratives both domestically and abroad about the human consequences of a military intervention that has altered the political landscape of one of South America’s most polarised nations.