Survivor of Maduro Capture Says US Special Forces Had Inside Knowledge

A Cuban serviceman who survived the assault on the security detail of Nicolas Maduro has disclosed details of the night raid carried out by US special forces, explaining how the attackers acted, why the Cuban troops could not stop the assault, and who may have been aware of the operation in advance.

A Veteran of Maduro's Personal Security

Yohandris Varona Torres, a Cuban national with 23 years of military service, served as a member of the Presidential Personal Security Service of Nicolas Maduro at the time of the attack. His account was recorded by Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet.

At midnight, Varona took up his position for a six-hour guard shift. At around two o'clock in the morning, he spotted the first US special forces helicopter preparing to land in Caracas as part of an operation aimed at abducting the Venezuelan president.

Varona immediately abandoned his post, moved to the parapet, and opened fire. This decision saved his life, as his guard booth was instantly riddled with bullets by the attackers.

'They Had More Firepower and Knew the Layout'

According to the Cuban serviceman, the defenders demonstrated their ability to fight, but the US forces held overwhelming advantages.

"They had far greater firepower than we did. I was armed only with light weapons. Another advantage was that they seemed to know exactly where everything was. They fired directly at guard posts and sleeping quarters where the Cubans were located and managed to kill everyone, including the command staff.”

Varona expressed confidence that US authorities conceal the true scale of their losses during the prolonged and intense firefight, in which Cuban guards fought until their last rounds.

"Despite their superiority in firepower, I am certain that we inflicted casualties on them, more than they admit. We fought stubbornly and kept firing until almost everyone was killed or wounded.”

After the Battle

The survivor said he will never forget the battle itself, nor the hours that followed, when the remaining members of the unit had to carry the bodies of their fallen comrades.

"We carried them into a damaged building that still provided shelter. It was extremely hard, because these were people we knew and fought alongside. But we took everyone with us and left no one behind. All that remains for me is the pain of knowing that we failed to stop them.”

Casualties and Aftermath

Nicolas Maduro was captured by US special forces on January 3, 2026, during a US military operation. During the clashes surrounding the seizure of the Venezuelan leader, 32 Cuban citizens were killed.

According to official data released by Havana, those killed were Cuban servicemen assigned to Maduro's security detail. Cuba declared a period of national mourning in response to their deaths.

Estimates of the total death toll from the operation vary from 75 to 100 people and include Venezuelan soldiers and civilian casualties.