American service members wounded in Venezuela raid – media
Seven US military personnel were injured during the weekend raid on Caracas, according to media reports, citing a Pentagon official. During the assault, American commandos abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, while dozens of others were killed, according to local authorities.
On Tuesday, several US media outlets, including the Associated Press and Fox News, quoted Pentagon sources as saying that the seven service members suffered gunshot wounds and injuries from shrapnel. Five of them have reportedly already returned to duty, while the other two are still recovering.
According to the reports, the unnamed official also said US intelligence was still gathering information on the number of Venezuelan casualties.
On Monday, Venezuela’s military announced that at least 24 security officers were killed during the US raid on Caracas last Saturday, bringing the total death toll to 56.
In a televised statement on Sunday, Venezuelan Defense Minister General Vladimir Padrino said that US forces had killed “in cold blood a large part of [Maduro’s] security team, soldiers, and innocent civilians.”
The New York Times, citing a senior Venezuelan official, has claimed that at least 80 people, including security personnel and civilians, were killed by US forces.
On Monday, Cuban authorities said that “32 Cubans lost their lives in combat” while attempting to fend off the “criminal attack perpetrated by the United States government” against Venezuela.
According to the statement, “they were fulfilling missions representing the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior, at the request of their counterparts in the South American country.”
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were subsequently transported to New York, where they appeared in court on Monday on charges of drug-trafficking conspiracy. Both pleaded not guilty.
Russia, China, and several other BRICS and Global South nations have strongly condemned the US actions and called for the immediate release of the Venezuelan president and his spouse.
