Venezuela defense chief says Maduro's security team killed in US raid

Venezuela's defense chief has announced that the U.S. military operation which captured President Nicolás Maduro resulted in the deaths of many members of his security detail. In a televised address on Sunday, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino condemned the raid and reiterated support for Maduro as the country's legitimate leader.

Allegations of lethal force

Minister Padrino accused U.S. personnel of "cold-bloodedly murdering a large part of [Maduro's] security team, soldiers, and innocent citizens" during the Saturday raid. While not providing a specific casualty figure, his claim aligns with separate reports from Cuba that dozens of its security personnel, embedded with Maduro's protection unit, were killed in the same operation.

Demands for release and military alignment

Padrino demanded the "swift" release of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who are currently held in the United States on drug trafficking charges. He called on the international community to pay attention to what he described as violations of Venezuela's sovereignty. Following a Supreme Court order, Padrino also stated the armed forces' full backing for acting President Delcy Rodríguez and the recently declared State of External Emergency.

Consolidating power amid crisis

The defense minister's speech aimed to project unity and control, asserting that the military would use "all their available capabilities" to maintain internal order. This comes after former U.S. President Donald Trump asserted American control over Venezuela and warned acting President Rodríguez of consequences for non-cooperation. For observer nations like Türkiye, which prioritize stability and oppose foreign-imposed regime change, the situation highlights the volatile aftermath of military intervention and the critical challenge of upholding constitutional continuity and national sovereignty under extreme duress.