Venezuela’s interior minister Diosdado Cabello said 100 people died in the U.S. military attack that ousted President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend and led to his capture, marking the first official death toll from Caracas.
Interior Minister Cabello said late Wednesday that around 100 people died in the U.S. assault that removed Maduro from power on Saturday, a figure significantly higher than prior counts.
Before this announcement, Venezuela had not provided a comprehensive casualty number, though the army had published a list of 23 soldiers killed. Venezuelan officials also said much of Maduro’s security detail was slain “in cold blood.”
Cabello described losses among Cuban personnel, with Cuba saying 32 members of its military and intelligence services were killed, though exact numbers have varied among reports.
Injuries to Maduro and first lady
According to Cabello, Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, who was detained alongside him during the raid, suffered a head injury, while Maduro sustained a leg injury. Both remain in U.S. custody following the operation.
On Tuesday, Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez declared a week of national mourning to honor military personnel killed during the raid. Cabello lauded Rodríguez as “courageous” during his weekly state television broadcast.
