Venezuelan officials say a U.S. military attack carried out last Saturday has left 100 people dead, significantly raising the initial casualty figure released shortly after the incident.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced the updated toll six days after the operation, explaining that continued assessments and verification led authorities to revise the number upward. Early reports had put the death toll at 40.
According to the Venezuelan government, the U.S. military deployed more than 150 fighter jets during the operation, striking several locations in the capital, Caracas. Officials said the attacks included bombardment of a major military base as well as areas close to the presidential residence.
The government further claims that President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores were detained during the operation and taken to New York. These claims have not been independently verified.
Cabello said most of those killed were members of the presidential security team and intelligence personnel assigned to protect the head of state. He added that fatalities were confirmed at multiple sites affected by the strikes.
Regional Impact and Official Responses
Cuba has separately said that 32 Cuban security personnel and intelligence officers stationed in Venezuela were killed in the attack. Based on those figures, Venezuelan authorities say at least 68 of the confirmed deaths were Venezuelan nationals.
U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged that one aircraft involved in the operation was damaged. U.S. military officials said the aircraft remained operational despite sustaining damage.
The developments have intensified regional tensions, with governments and international observers closely watching the situation following the Venezuelan government’s account of what it describes as one of the most serious military actions in Caracas in recent years.
