On Saturday, Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel boasted that 32 Cuban fighters "held back" the United States Delta Force during the operation that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026, in Caracas.
In front of the 'Convoy Nuestra América' delegations gathered at the Palace of Conventions in Havana, Díaz-Canel, appointed by Raúl Castro, offered an exaggerated account of events that resulted in the deaths of the 32 Cubans, highlighting the often-denied Cuban military presence in Venezuela.
"These thirty-two individuals were defending Venezuela's president. They held off a Delta Force from the United States that intended to complete the mission in mere minutes, complicating their operation," Díaz-Canel stated to around 650 attendees from 33 countries and 140 organizations involved in the Convoy, organized by Progressive International.
Adding a layer of heroism, the Communist Party's first secretary asserted, "They were outnumbered. An overwhelming force with advanced technology was unleashed against them, yet they halted those American forces."
Díaz-Canel used this narrative to portray a tale of revolutionary valor, rhetorically asking, "What would millions of Cubans not do?"
This depiction reframed what was essentially an operational defeat into a heroic achievement: the 32 Cuban soldiers perished during Operation Absolute Resolution, carried out by the Delta Force (1st SFOD-D) with the support of about 200 soldiers, 150 aircraft, and electronic warfare.
The operation, lasting under two hours, resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, with no initial U.S. casualties reported, although it was later confirmed that seven soldiers were injured.
The Cuban Ministry of the Interior (MININT) officially acknowledged the 32 deaths on January 5 and 6, releasing the names and photographs of the fallen, including colonels Humberto Alfonso Roca Sánchez and Lázaro Evangelio Rodríguez Rodríguez, and Major Ismael Terrero Ge, aged between 26 and 67. This public acknowledgment contradicted decades of official denials about Cuban military presence in Venezuela.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed from Washington, "Those protecting Maduro were from Cuba."
Díaz-Canel declared two days of national mourning. The remains of the 32 soldiers were returned to Cuba on January 15 for state funerals with official mobilization, and Venezuela declared them "Heroes and Martyrs of the Bolivarian Homeland."
On February 18, MININT held a ceremony in Havana with four survivors from the Directorate of Personal Security, praising their "courage" against a "superior" enemy.
During the same Saturday address, Díaz-Canel also referenced the February 25 incident, when Cuban border guards intercepted a speedboat registered in Florida near Cayo Falcones, Villa Clara, killing four of its ten occupants and injuring six others. The regime labeled the event as an "armed infiltration attempt with terrorist purposes."
Families and opposition groups reject this narrative, describing the occupants as workers and activists with no violent history. The identities of the four deceased in the incident are available. One of the injured, Roberto Álvarez Ávila, died on March 4, as reported by El País.
The Convoy Nuestra América event featured attendees such as British MP Jeremy Corbyn, CODEPINK activist Medea Benjamin, and four European MEPs. Díaz-Canel concluded his speech with a statement reflecting the regime's stance on international pressure: "We are in challenging times, but also times of decisions, and here is a people who would rather live standing than die on their knees."
Key Questions About the Capture of Maduro and Cuban Fighters
What role did Cuban fighters play in Maduro's capture?
According to Díaz-Canel, 32 Cuban fighters attempted to defend Nicolás Maduro by complicating the operation of the U.S. Delta Force, though they were ultimately killed during the mission.
How did the Cuban government respond to the deaths of the 32 fighters?
The Cuban government officially acknowledged the deaths and declared two days of national mourning, honoring them with state funerals and declaring them heroes.
What was the outcome of the operation led by the U.S. Delta Force?
The operation was successful, resulting in the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, with no initial casualties among U.S. forces, despite later reports of injuries.