US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Cuban nationals were among those killed during a US military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The remarks followed a large-scale pre-dawn action carried out by American forces in and around Caracas, marking a dramatic escalation in Washington’s long-running confrontation with the Venezuelan government.

Speaking after the operation, Trump said that Cuban personnel had been present in Venezuela and were attempting to protect Maduro when the attack took place. He did not specify how many Cuban nationals were killed, nor did he provide detailed casualty figures for the overall operation. US officials have also declined to release independent assessments of losses on either side, although Trump stated that no American service members were killed.

According to Trump, the Cuban presence in Venezuela was closely tied to the long-standing alliance between Havana and Caracas, which has been rooted in shared political ideology and mutual economic support. For years, Venezuela has supplied Cuba with fuel and financial assistance, while Cuban advisers have reportedly played key roles in security and intelligence operations within Venezuela. US media reports in the lead-up to the operation indicated that Maduro relied heavily on Cuban security personnel as Washington mobilized forces in the Caribbean.

In comments made during a press briefing, Trump suggested that Cuba’s involvement in defending Maduro had backfired. He described the loss of Cuban lives as the result of decisions made by Havana to support the Venezuelan leadership, adding that the alliance had failed to prevent the collapse of Maduro’s hold on power. Despite the sharp rhetoric, Trump said the United States had no immediate plans to take military action against Cuba, citing the island nation’s worsening economic situation.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also issued a warning to Cuban leaders following the operation, saying that officials in Havana should be concerned about the implications of their involvement in Venezuela. Rubio’s comments underscored growing pressure on Cuba as the United States continues to target governments it accuses of undermining regional stability and democratic norms.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan authorities acknowledged significant casualties inside the country. A senior Venezuelan official confirmed that at least 40 people, including both soldiers and civilians, were killed during the operation. The fighting reportedly unfolded rapidly as US forces moved to secure key locations in Caracas and detain senior figures in the Venezuelan government.

Maduro and his wife were taken into US custody and transported to New York on Saturday afternoon. US officials said the Venezuelan leader will face longstanding narcotics-related charges, which Washington has cited for years as justification for sanctions and legal action against his government. The operation was described by US authorities as swift and decisive, aimed at removing Maduro from power and disrupting what they characterize as a criminal network operating at the highest levels of the Venezuelan state.

The events mark a major turning point in the Venezuela crisis, with potential consequences for regional geopolitics, US-Cuba relations, and the broader balance of power in Latin America. As details continue to emerge, questions remain about the full human cost of the operation and how countries aligned with Venezuela and Cuba will respond in the coming days.