CARACAS: Fifty-six Cuban and Venezuelan military personnel were killed during the US raid to seize Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, according to tolls published Tuesday by the two Latin American allies.
During his 12 volatile years in power, Maduro -- like his predecessor Hugo Chavez -- employed specialized Cuban soldiers for his protection.
Venezuela's Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said on Sunday that Maduro's presidential guard was largely wiped out "in cold blood" by US troops who bombarded the capital and seized him from his home.
Cuba published the names of 32 members of its military who died in the nighttime assault that led to Maduro's capture in Caracas on January 3. They included three senior officers from the Cuban interior ministry.
The Venezuelan military published online a list of 24 of its personnel who were also killed, including five admirals.
A video tribute to the slain Venezuelan security officials posted to the military’s Instagram features faces of many of those killed over black-and-white videos of soldiers, American aircraft flying over Caracas and armored vehicles destroyed by the blasts.
“Their spilled blood does not cry out for vengeance, but for justice and strength,” the military wrote in an Instagram post.
“It reaffirms our unwavering oath not to rest until we rescue our legitimate President, completely dismantle the terrorist groups operating from abroad, and ensure that events such as these never again sully our sovereign soil.”
In the face of pressure from Washington, the leftist governments in Cuba and Venezuela maintain close ties in military cooperation, health and education.