Key Facts
• January 3, 2026: US military raid in Caracas to detain Venezuelan President Maduro.
• 100 deaths reported during the raid, per Venezuelan Interior Minister.
• Cuba officially confirmed 32 deaths of its personnel on mission in Venezuela.
• Many Cuban agents guarded President Maduro and his wife.
• Cuban-Venezuelan alliance spans decades, rooted in ties between Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez.
• Cuban operative Asdrúbal de la Vega reportedly issued orders inside the presidential palace.
• De la Vega allegedly stayed next to Maduro’s bedroom, per Wall Street Journal.
• Cuba provided personnel and expertise; Venezuela supplied oil and funds.
• Post-raid, Venezuela agreed to transfer 30–50 million barrels of oil to the US, with proceeds controlled by the US.
• Former US President Trump stated, “Cuba is on the brink of collapse.”
• US State Department posted image asserting Western Hemisphere as “our hemisphere” with Trump’s photo.
• 2025 US National Security Strategy emphasizes US dominance in Western Hemisphere and rejects foreign military bases.
• Focus on Chancay Port, Peru, 60 km north of Lima, 60% funded by Chinese state-owned COSCO.
• Chancay Port investment totals $1.3 billion, largest Chinese investment in Latin America.
• November 2024 opening attended remotely by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Peruvian President.
• Port part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, linking Asia and Latin America.
• Former US Southern Command commander expressed concerns over port’s dual-use potential for Chinese navy.
Summary
The US military operation in early 2026 targeting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro revealed deep Cuban involvement, with Cuban agents actively guarding Maduro and a high-ranking Cuban operative reportedly residing adjacent to Maduro’s bedroom. This confirmed longstanding suspicions about Cuba’s influence in Venezuela, rooted in decades of alliance dating back to Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez. The raid resulted in significant casualties, including Cuban personnel. Subsequently, Venezuela agreed to transfer millions of barrels of oil to the US, cutting off vital resources to Cuba and intensifying its economic crisis. Meanwhile, US policy under former President Trump emphasizes maintaining dominance in the Western Hemisphere and preventing foreign military footholds. Attention now turns to the China-funded Chancay Port in Peru, a strategic deep-water facility capable of dual civilian and military use, raising US concerns about expanding Chinese influence in Latin America. This port symbolizes China’s growing economic and geopolitical reach through the Belt and Road Initiative, challenging US interests in the region.
