Delcy Rodríguez declared a week of national mourning on Tuesday to honor the victims of US raid that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his transfer to the United States. The announcement came amid heightened tensions and anticipation in the country following the swift military operation.
In a televised address broadcast on Venezuelan state television, Rodríguez said somberly, "I have decided to declare seven days of mourning for the young men, women, and children who sacrificed their lives defending Venezuela and President Nicolás Maduro." She affirmed that these sacrifices would not be in vain, emphasizing the need for national unity during this critical period in the country's history.
Casualty figures and human losses
Regarding the human cost, Cuba and Venezuela issued joint statements reporting the deaths of 55 of their military personnel during the clashes with US forces. Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab stated that there were dozens of civilian and military casualties. While the final civilian death toll remains uncertain due to the chaos of the operation, informed sources and field reports indicate between 70 and 80 civilian deaths, further exacerbating the humanitarian tragedy of this major political and military event.
Context of the historical tension between Washington and Caracas
This attack cannot be separated from the context of historically strained relations between the United States and Venezuela, which have escalated to unprecedented levels in recent years. Washington has long considered the Maduro government an "illegitimate regime" and has imposed a series of crippling economic sanctions targeting the oil sector and financial transactions. The latest US operation is based, in its stated justifications, on previous indictments issued by the US Department of Justice against Maduro and senior officials, accusing them of "terrorism and drug trafficking"—charges that Caracas has consistently denied, considering them part of an imperialist conspiracy to seize control of the country's oil wealth.
Expected repercussions: a geopolitical earthquake
This event is expected to cast a long shadow over the geopolitical landscape of Latin America and the world. Domestically, Venezuela risks descending into security chaos or internal conflict between supporters of the United Socialist Party and the Western-backed opposition. Regionally, direct military intervention and the arrest of a head of state could trigger a wave of condemnations from Venezuela's traditional allies, such as Cuba, Bolivia, and Nicaragua, sharply re-polarizing the region.
Internationally, the operation is expected to provoke angry reactions from major powers that rival the United States, particularly Russia and China, which have deep strategic and economic ties with Caracas. This American move could be seen as a dangerous precedent in international relations, potentially leading to diplomatic tensions in the UN Security Council and other UN forums in the coming days.
