In a major escalation of the Venezuela crisis, the country's government has announced a staggering death toll from the recent US-led military intervention that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Meanwhile, the United States has intensified its economic pressure by seizing two Venezuela-linked oil tankers.
High Casualty Figures Announced After Raid
Venezuela's Interior Minister, Diosdado Cabello, made a late-night announcement on Wednesday, revealing that 100 people were killed during the US military operation last Saturday. This operation successfully ousted President Nicolás Maduro from power. This figure, the first official casualty count provided by Caracas, is significantly higher than previous reports.
Earlier, the Venezuelan army had released a list naming 23 of its soldiers who died. Additionally, Cuban officials confirmed that 32 Cuban military and intelligence personnel lost their lives in the same raid. Cabello also disclosed that during the capture, Maduro sustained a leg wound, and his wife, Cilia Flores, suffered a head injury. Both were detained together.
Speaking on state television, Minister Cabello praised Venezuelan forces for their courage. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez has declared a week of national mourning to honour those killed.
US Tightens Grip with Naval Blockade and Seizures
Concurrent with the military action, the United States has ramped up its efforts to cripple Venezuela's oil economy, a critical source of revenue for the Caracas government. As part of President Donald Trump's intensified campaign, US authorities seized two oil tankers linked to Venezuela in the Atlantic and Caribbean waters.
One of the vessels, the Russian-flagged tanker Marinera (previously named Bella 1), was intercepted in the North Atlantic early Wednesday. Officials stated the ship had been pursued for weeks and had attempted to evade sanctions by changing its name and flag. A second ship, the Panama-flagged M/S Sophia, was taken into custody in the Caribbean Sea. Both were boarded by the US Coast Guard and military under federal court warrants for alleged sanctions violations.
US authorities confirmed both tankers were either last docked in Venezuela or en route to the country, and were sanctioned for illicit activities related to Venezuelan oil shipments.
International Reactions and Accusations
The seizure of the Russian-flagged vessel has sparked international controversy. The Russian government has strongly condemned the action, labelling it a "blatant piracy" and a clear violation of international maritime law. No clashes were reported during the boarding operations.
This dual strategy of military intervention and economic blockade marks a pivotal moment in the long-standing political and economic crisis in Venezuela. The high casualty numbers are likely to influence global diplomatic responses in the coming days.
