At least 24 Venezuelan security officers were killed in the U.S. military operation to capture Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s military announced Monday, bringing the official death count up to at least 56 people.
According to the Pentagon, seven U.S. servicemembers were injured in Saturday’s raid in Caracas, and the injuries included gunshot wounds and shrapnel-related injuries, a U.S. official told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive situation. Of the servicemembers, five have already returned to duty while two are still recovering.
In addition to the 24 Venezuelan security officers, 32 Cuban military and police officers working in Venezuela were also killed, according to Cuba’s government, prompting two days of mourning on the Caribbean island.
More civilians in Venezuela were killed in the strikes, AP reporting shows, but it wasn’t immediately clear how many.
What to know:
- Trump says US to get 30 million to 50 million barrels of oil from Venezuela: President Donald Trump made the announcement Tuesday and pledged to use proceeds from the oil sale “to benefit the people” of both countries. With oil trading at roughly $56 a barrel, the transaction could be worth as much as $2.8 billion. The White House is organizing a meeting on Friday with oil company executives regarding Venezuela, according to a person familiar with the matter who requested anonymity to discuss the plans. Venezuela’s government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s announcement.
- Trump’s claims of running Venezuela leave questions despite congressional briefing: The Monday briefing by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other top officials failed to fully quell lawmaker concerns that Trump is embarking on a new era of U.S. expansionism without the consultation of Congress or a clear vision for next steps in Venezuela. It came amid vague assertions by Trump that the U.S. is going to “run” the South American nation after Maduro’s ouster, seeming to contradict earlier statements from Rubio.
- Venezuela asserts its independence: The Venezuelan government is seeking to show its people and the world that the country is being run independently and is not being controlled by the United States. Lawmakers aligned with the ruling party, including Maduro’s son, gathered Monday in the capital to follow through with a scheduled swearing-in ceremony of the National Assembly for a term that will last until 2031.