The Cuban regime acknowledged Sunday that approximately 32 Cuban nationals died in Caracas during a U.S. military operation resulting in the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. According to the official statement, these Cubans were “fulfilling missions in representation of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior, at the request of homologous bodies of the South American country.”
Cuban Presence and Casualties
Cuban authorities have not released a list of the deceased. However, Colombian President Gustavo Petro initially published a list on his X account claiming 85 Cubans were among the fatalities, though this list was later removed. Researcher María Werlau, director of Archivo Cuba, alleges information indicates Maduro’s security detail, recently reinforced, comprised approximately 140 Cubans, with several individuals sustaining serious injuries, including severe burns.
Those providing security for Maduro were reportedly members of the “Black Wasps,” Cuba’s feared special troops of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR), according to Fernando Vaccotti, a former UN Security Counselor, as early as December. Werlau’s sources suggest these Cubans were members of the Personal Security Directorate, though she does not rule out the presence of “Black Wasps” as well.
The “Black Wasps” and Cuban Intervention
The “Black Wasps” were created in the mid-1980s by order of Raúl Castro, then Minister of the FAR. Their training is described as highly rigorous, including strict survival exercises. The group was deployed in July 2021 to suppress protestors on the island demanding freedom and an end to the communist dictatorship, with reports and videos showing them using violence against unarmed individuals.
Their presence in Venezuela has been documented through testimonies from both victims and former Venezuelan military personnel. According to Juan Antonio Blanco Gil, a former Cuban official who defected over 30 years ago, their role is that of “advisors on repression.” This includes techniques for controlling demonstrations, identifying and neutralizing leaders, infiltrating opposition groups, and employing torture methods.
Blanco Gil explained they are trained in tactics such as locating snipers during protests, mirroring techniques used in Cuba during the 1994 Maleconazo uprising and, he believes, during the protests of July 11, 2021. He also asserts that the Cuban presence in Venezuela’s presidential security detail dates back to the era of Hugo Chávez, with “all of Venezuela’s security and counterintelligence apparatus” controlled by Cubans.
The Cuban regime previously denied a military presence in Venezuela. However, Werlau describes this as an “intervention of Cuba in Venezuela,” which solidified after the 2002 attempted coup against Chávez. Following that event, Chávez, distrustful of his own people, ceded control to Havana.
Maduro’s Alleged Ties to Cuba
Blanco asserts the Cuban presence in Venezuela includes both military troops and individuals disguised as “internationalists” on ostensibly humanitarian missions, ultimately serving Havana’s interests. He estimates over 20,000 “Cuban soldiers” are stationed in Venezuela, stating this is a “generous” estimate.
Maduro himself trained in Cuba at the “Ñico López” Communist Party of Cuba University. Werlau contends he was a Havana collaborator from a young age, serving as a messenger between Cuba and Chávez while the latter was imprisoned in the 1990s. “Maduro was a pawn of Cuba,” she stated, adding that Cuban officials manipulated Chávez, while he was battling cancer, to name Maduro as his successor, considering him more loyal and manageable.
Blanco Gil further claims Cuba transformed Venezuela into its operational base, a Latin American hub for a transnational criminal ecosystem. This is described as a structural dependency where Cuba provides intelligence and expertise, and Venezuela provides material resources. Recent revelations from Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios, known as “El Pollo” Carvajal, a former director of Venezuelan Military Intelligence, allege the Cuban regime designed a strategy implemented by Maduro through the “Cártel de los Soles,” involving drug trafficking into the United States as a form of geopolitical pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What role did the “Black Wasps” play in Cuba?
The “Black Wasps” were deployed in Cuba in July 2021 to repress protestors demanding freedom and an end to the communist dictatorship, and were seen using violence against unarmed individuals.
What is Juan Antonio Blanco Gil’s assessment of Cuban involvement in Venezuela?
Juan Antonio Blanco Gil asserts that Cuba controls Venezuela’s security and counterintelligence apparatus and that Cuban personnel act as “advisors on repression,” providing techniques for controlling protests and neutralizing opposition leaders.
What was Maduro’s connection to Cuba prior to becoming president of Venezuela?
Maduro trained in Cuba at the “Ñico López” Communist Party of Cuba University and was a collaborator of Havana from a young age, serving as a messenger between Cuba and Chávez while the latter was imprisoned in the 1990s.
Given the reported extent of Cuban involvement in Venezuela’s security apparatus, what implications might this have for the country’s future stability and political trajectory?
