The names, ranks and ages of the 32 Cuban military personnel killed during were published Tuesday by the Cuban government, which announced two days of mourning.
Among the deceased are colonels, lieutenants, majors and captains, as well as some reserve soldiers, ranging in age from 26 to 60.
The uniformed personnel belonged to the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior, two main security agencies. The publication did not specify their missions or exactly how they died.
Cuban state media published their details and headshots, which show them clad in olive-green military uniforms.
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On Tuesday, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodr铆guez said that Cubans were 鈥減repared to give their lives鈥� against any U.S. intervention as the island without Maduro as Venezuela's leader.
鈥淭he U.S. president, displaying a complete lack of understanding about Cuba and repeating the agenda of lies of Cuban-American politicians and other interest groups, blasphemes against and threatens our people,鈥� Rodr铆guez wrote on X. 鈥淥ur valiant people, true to their history of struggle, will defend their nation against any imperialist aggression.鈥�
In a statement Sunday, Cuban authorities had acknowledged the deaths of the personnel who were in the as part of agreements between the two countries.
鈥淥ur compatriots fulfilled their duty with dignity and heroism, falling after fierce resistance in direct combat against the attackers, or as a result of the bombing of the facilities,鈥� the official statement said.
Limited details of Cubans killed in strike
Information about the Cuban officers killed began trickling out on Monday night, with Cubans publicly saying they had died for a just cause.
鈥淵ou have to say that to say the same thing as the government,鈥� said Luis Dom铆nguez, who runs the website, Represores Cubanos, or Cuban Repressors, which doxes officials allegedly involved in human rights abuses and violations of democratic norms.
鈥淚nside, Cubans have to be saying something else," he added.
Dom铆nguez said he believes that one of those killed, 67-year-old Col. Humberto Alfonso Roca S谩nchez, used to be the garrison commander of Punto Cero, where once lived.
Another officer who was killed, 62-year-old Col. L谩zaro Evangelio Rodr铆guez Rodr铆guez, is believed to have overseen Cuba鈥檚 coast and border guards, Dom铆nguez said.
As top-tier economic and political allies, Cuba and Venezuela have agreements in areas ranging from security to energy, with the sale of subsidized oil to the island since 2000. However, the extent of military or advisory exchanges has rarely been reported.
A post published Monday on the independent website La Joven Cuba, a blog that provides a platform for many opposition voices on the island, featured a profile of 1st Lt. Yunio Est茅vez. It was written by a journalist who was a close friend. The post included details of the 32-year-old's life and featured pictures with his three children, whom he had raised together in Guant谩namo province in eastern Cuba.
La Joven Cuba report stated that Est茅vez, a communications expert in charge of a personal security department, was shot during the attack. The post was removed later that evening at the family鈥檚 request, the website reported.
A protest and a moment of silence
The U.S. strike on Venezuela prompted the Organization of American States to hold a special meeting on Tuesday, where a protester interrupted the speech of U.S. Ambassador Leandro Rizzuto.
鈥淭he majority of people are against this!鈥� cried out Medea Benjamin, co-founder of Code Pink, a U.S.-based anti-war nonprofit. 鈥淗ands off Venezuela!鈥�
She called for to be lifted as OAS officials called for security guards who eventually led her out of the room.
Rizzuto resumed his speech after Benjamin was removed: 鈥淚 understand there are many raw emotions.鈥�
He called the strike a 鈥渢argeted law enforcement action鈥� against an 鈥渋ndicted criminal.鈥�
鈥淟et me be clear, the U.S. did not invade Venezuela,鈥� Rizzuto said. 鈥淧resident Trump offered Maduro multiple offramps. This was not an interference in democracy鈥t actually removed the obstacle to it.鈥�
He said the U.S. wants a better and democratic future for Venezuela.
鈥淵ou cannot continue to have the largest oil reserves in the world under the control of adversaries of the Western Hemisphere while the people of Venezuela have no electricity, substandard quality of life, and its profits don鈥檛 benefit the people in Venezuela,鈥� Rizzuto said. 鈥淭he profits are stolen by a handful of oligarchs around the world, including those inside of Venezuela.鈥�
He also called on the release of an estimated 1,000 political prisoners, saying the U.S. supports the request of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to visit the detention center in person.
After Rizzuto spoke, Peruvian Ambassador Rodolfo Coronado called for a minute of silence for the victims of Maduro鈥檚 regime.
During the OAS meeting, representatives of several countries strongly condemned the U.S. strike.
Mauricio Jaramillo, Colombia鈥檚 vice minister of foreign relations, denounced what he said was an attack against Venezuela鈥檚 sovereignty. He said the unilateral military action was a 鈥渃lear violation of international law鈥� that set 鈥渁n extremely worrying鈥� precedent.
Before the special OAS meeting began, about a dozen protesters gathered outside holding signs that read, 鈥淣o war on Venezuela鈥� and 鈥淎repas Not Bombs.鈥�
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Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
