Havana: The remains of 32 Cuban security officers, who lost their lives during a US military operation in Venezuela, have returned to Cuba. The ashes, just under two weeks after the attack, were received with military honors at Havana's international airport, draped in Cuban flags.
According to Ghana News Agency, President Miguel Daz-Canel and former president Raºl Castro were present at the ceremony, which was broadcast on state television. The urns were respectfully transported from the aircraft and placed on six military vehicles, driven by soldiers dressed in white uniforms, to the Ministry of Revolutionary Armed Forces for a memorial service.
Citizens lined the streets, waving flags, to bid farewell to the deceased, whom the Cuban government has called martyrs. The US operation, reportedly claiming at least 100 lives, also led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicol¡s Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. They were taken to New York to face trial for drug-related charges.
Cuba's ruling Communist Party stated that the security officers were dispatched to Venezuela at the request of its authorities. Experts have noted that these Cuban personnel had been responsible for Maduro's personal security for several years.