The remains of 32 Cuban officers killed in the U.S. attack on Venezuela arrived in Havana on January 16, where thousands of Cubans paid their respects. The country remains on high alert amid escalating threats from the Trump administration. Marches and ceremonies were held across the island to honor the martyrs.
On January 16, 2026, the remains of 32 Cuban combatants, part of President Nicolás Maduro’s security detail, arrived in Havana following the U.S. military attack on Venezuela on January 3. Thousands of Cubans lined the streets to pay tribute, as the island remains on high alert amid threats from the Trump administration.
In Havana, a ceremony took place at the Anti-Imperialist Tribune, followed by the March of the Fighting People, reaffirming commitment to the homeland. The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, stated on his X account: “We are going to sing our anthem to the heroes. We are going to thank them for their courage. We are going to march so that those who do not yet understand us can get to know us better.”
In all municipalities across the country, posthumous tribute ceremonies were held, and the remains will be buried in the pantheons of the Fallen in Defense of their respective localities.
Internationally, the Cuban ambassador to Panama, Orestes Pérez, and the head of the Venezuelan consular representation, Julio Chávez, signed the book of condolences dedicated to the combatants who fell in Caracas on January 3.
In Rome, the National Association of Friendship Italy-Cuba (Anaic) paid tribute at the Cuban Embassy, attended by Ambassador Jorge Luis Cepero and other officials. Members of the Anaic chapter in Rome honored those who defended the Bolivarian nation against the brutal imperialist attack.
Additionally, a collection of graphic designs by Cuban designers is circulating online in solidarity with Venezuela following the January 3 attack.