WASHINGTON: The Washington administration believes that about 75 people, including civilians, died during the US operation to capture Vene...
WASHINGTON: The Washington administration believes that about 75 people, including civilians, died during the US operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, The Washington Post (WP) reported.
According to one of its sources, "at least 67 people were killed in the predawn strike, while another said that about 75 to 80 people were left dead." The publication specifies that among those dead are Venezuelan and Cuban security forces as well as civilians.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday stated that many military personnel, mostly Cubans, died during the raid. He called the operation "effective" but "very violent."
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel reported on Sunday that as a result of US actions to capture Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, "32 Cubans died while performing combat tasks." A two-day mourning has been declared on the island. The Venezuelan authorities announced a seven-day mourning for the military and civilians who died as a result of US aggression.
On January 3, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto said that the United States had struck civilian and military facilities in Caracas, describing Washington’s actions as military aggression. A state of emergency was declared in Venezuela. Trump later confirmed the strikes and announced the seizure and removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife from the country.
They were taken to the United States and held at a detention facility in Brooklyn, southern New York. On January 5, Maduro and his wife appeared before the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. US authorities accuse them of involvement in drug trafficking, allegations both defendants have denied.
Trump also claimed that the United States would assume interim governance of Venezuela. In addition, the US president expressed confidence that Washington would secure compensation from Caracas for US oil companies. Trump said Venezuela's interim government would be "turning over" between 30 and 50 million barrels of "high quality" oil to the US.
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