"Díaz-Canel Praises Fallen Cuban Soldiers in Venezuela as Heroes of a Noble Battle"

In a recent speech, Cuba's leader Miguel Díaz-Canel lauded the 32 Cuban soldiers who lost their lives in Caracas during a U.S. operation to capture Nicolás Maduro. He described their sacrifice as an embodiment of heroism, stating they "offered their lives" in an intense battle that stands as a testament to their valor.

Speaking at the Anti-Imperialist Tribunal, Díaz-Canel highlighted the stark contrast between Cuba's unwavering idealism and a global trend towards materialism and technological dominance. He commended the soldiers' dedication, asserting that the world might abandon dreams, but these Cubans fought relentlessly.

"Thirty-two brave Cubans gave their lives, growing larger in spirit, fighting fiercely until the last bullet, until the last breath! No enemy can intimidate such heroism!" he declared passionately.

Díaz-Canel noted that even U.S. officials acknowledged the "bravery" and "tenacious resistance" displayed by the Cuban soldiers, despite the overwhelming disparity in both manpower and firepower.

"Those of us who regard the Personal Security combatants as family, who recognize their Spartan readiness to protect lives under their care, knew they would act like titans in their final battle," he emphasized.

As the remains of the soldiers returned to Cuba, the regime attempted to portray their deaths as part of a grand epic narrative, even though they were in Caracas to protect a dictatorship, not defending their homeland or engaging in a national cause.

The U.S.-led mission to capture Maduro inadvertently exposed something the Cuban government had long denied: the direct involvement of Cuban officers in tasks concerning the security of the Venezuelan leadership.

Beyond the official rhetoric of external aggression and revolutionary sacrifice, these events lay bare the true extent of Cuban military involvement in Venezuela.

The fallen were not engaged in humanitarian missions or civilian duties; they were part of a system backing the power of an allied government.

Díaz-Canel used the homage to the fallen as a platform to intensify his confrontational rhetoric against the United States.

He asserted that Cuba would not make political concessions and, if attacked, would retaliate with the same resolve seen in historical episodes like the wars of independence, the Sierra Maestra, Africa, and now Caracas.

He declared that surrender or negotiation under pressure was not an option, and dialogue could only occur under conditions of equality and mutual respect.

He also accused Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio of spearheading a policy of regional aggression, employing language reminiscent of the Cold War era.

Going further, he claimed that even a full-scale offensive would not subdue the island, and that even if Cuba were erased, it would continue to symbolically pursue its adversaries.

In this context, Díaz-Canel described the operation against Maduro as an act using fascist methods, criticizing the current U.S. administration for ushering in an era of barbarism and plunder.

This message followed Trump's public warning that Venezuela would no longer supply oil or financial support to Cuba.

This statement came just days after Maduro's capture, a blow that leaves the Cuban regime without its main economic and energy support of recent decades.

Since the era of Hugo Chávez, Havana has received Venezuelan oil in exchange for sending advisors, doctors, and intelligence personnel.

With Maduro's downfall and U.S. control over the transition process, Cuba faces the near-total loss of that support.

In this setting, Díaz-Canel's epic narrative aims to rally his followers amid an internal crisis characterized by shortages, power outages, and social unrest.

Yet, the events in Caracas have exposed a reality the regime preferred to keep hidden: Cuban soldiers were directly involved in the protection of Venezuelan political power, and their deaths did not occur in defense of Cuba, but in support of an authoritarian regime.