By Sabiu Abdullahi
Venezuelan authorities have announced that no fewer than 100 people lost their lives during a United States military operation that led to the removal of President Nicolás Maduro from office.
The country’s interior minister, Diosdado Cabello, disclosed the figure late on Wednesday. This marked the first official confirmation of the death toll since the operation took place on Saturday.
According to Cabello, “100 people died in the U.S. attack which removed President Nicolas Maduro from power on Saturday.” Officials had previously refrained from releasing a comprehensive casualty count.
Earlier, the Venezuelan military had released the names of 23 personnel who were confirmed dead. Government officials later stated that a significant portion of Maduro’s security detail was killed “in cold blood.”
Cuba also announced that some of its military and intelligence officers deployed in Venezuela died during the operation.Cabello further revealed that injuries occurred during the raid. He said that Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, who was detained alongside him, sustained a head injury. He also stated that Maduro suffered an injury to his leg.
The operation followed prolonged diplomatic and political tensions between Washington and Caracas. Over the years, the two countries have exchanged accusations over governance, security concerns, sanctions and diplomatic pressure. United States officials have repeatedly accused Maduro’s administration of failures in leadership and public security, claims that Venezuelan authorities have consistently rejected.
On Saturday, U.S. forces carried out a controversial mission in Venezuela that resulted in the arrest of President Maduro and his wife. American authorities later justified the action by linking Maduro to allegations of drug trafficking and narco-terrorism.
Federal indictments alleged that his administration aided the shipment of large quantities of cocaine into the United States. These allegations were presented as the legal grounds for his arrest.
After the operation, President Donald Trump publicly stated that the United States intended to assert control over Venezuela’s oil sector. He argued that the industry was built with American investment and accused Maduro’s government of taking over U.S. energy assets. In a post on social media, Trump said the United States would “run Venezuela and take over its oil” after Maduro’s arrest.
In his first public remarks following his transfer to the United States, Maduro described himself as “kidnapped” and maintained his innocence.
During a weekly broadcast on state television, Cabello announced that Venezuelan authorities had declared a week of mourning for members of the armed forces who were killed in the operation. He referred to the fallen personnel as “courageous.”