Trump claims Cuba is "on the brink of collapse" as Havana mourns troops killed in US raid
Thirty-two members of the Cuban security forces were killed during US military strikes in Venezuela, the Cuban government announced on Sunday.
The deceased personnel, members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) and the Ministry of the Interior (MININT), were stationed in Venezuela at the request of the Maduro administration.
"Due to the criminal attack committed by the United States government against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, 32 Cubans lost their lives in combat," the government stated in a national television broadcast.
The fall of the Maduro regime
US forces launched targeted strikes in Venezuela early Saturday morning, capturing President Nicolas Maduro and his partner, Cilia Flores. Both were extracted from the country and transported to the United States.
Maduro is currently held in a New York detention center. He faces trial on federal charges of narcoterrorism conspiracy and cocaine importation.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has declared two days of national mourning. He praised the "brave Cuban combatants" who died resisting what he termed "imperialist terrorists" during the extraction of the Venezuelan leader.
Washington signals shifting focus to Havana
The White House confirmed the Cuban casualties but reported no American losses. Speaking aboard Air Force One, President Donald Trump noted that many Cubans were killed while attempting to protect Maduro.
When asked if Cuba would be the next target for military action, Trump suggested that the island's internal situation might preclude the need for an intervention. "Cuba looks like it’s about to collapse," Trump told reporters.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously described the Cuban government as a "massive problem." Rubio, a long-time hawk on Havana, emphasized that the Cuban regime was the primary pillar of support for the Maduro presidency.
Economic isolation and the end of oil subsidies
The loss of Venezuelan influence marks a catastrophic blow to the Cuban economy. For decades, Venezuela has been Cuba's primary supplier of oil in exchange for medical and security personnel.
Cuba is currently navigating its worst economic crisis in five years. The island faces severe shortages of fuel, food, and hard currency, exacerbated by structural failures and tightened US sanctions.
"I don't know how they are going to stay afloat; they have no income," Trump stated, referring to the termination of Venezuelan oil shipments. "Many Cuban-Americans are going to be very happy with us."
Translation by Iurie Tataru
