Venezuela's National Assembly delivered a parliamentary agreement to the Cuban Embassy honoring 32 Cuban combatants killed during the U.S. military intervention in the South American country on January 3. The document, unanimously approved on January 8, declares the fallen as Heroes and Martyrs of the Homeland. The ceremony highlights Latin American unity against external aggression.
On January 19, 2026, Venezuela's National Assembly (AN) presented a Parliamentary Agreement to the Cuban Embassy in Caracas, recognizing the sacrifice of 32 Cuban combatants who died on January 3 during a U.S. military intervention in Venezuelan territory. Unanimously approved on January 8, the agreement proclaims them Heroes and Martyrs of the Homeland, integrating them into the nation's moral and political heritage.
AN First Vice President Deputy Pedro Infante delivered the document during a ceremony, stressing that it is not an administrative protocol but recognition transcending borders. "The blood shed by Cuban and Venezuelan combatants in the heat of heroic resistance constitutes an unshakable foundation of freedom," Infante stated. He added: "We are here to express that the pain of the Cuban people is also ours." The AN committed to building a memorial to preserve their memory and rejected violence, joining national mourning.
Cuba's ambassador to Venezuela, Jorge Luis Mayo Fernández, thanked the gesture and emphasized Latin American unity as a response to attempts at political domination or armed aggression. "Venezuelans and Cubans, united as brothers, will continue to work hand in hand for the heroic freedom of Latin America," he affirmed, invoking figures like Che, Fidel, Martí, Bolívar, and Chávez.
In Cuba, the event coincides with reports of internal repression by activists, including arrests during the funeral of the fallen and a six-year sentence for intellectual José Gabriel Barrenechea over a November 2024 protest. While the Cuban government maintains a discourse of solidarity with Venezuela, the United States is intensifying its influence in Caracas, with a recent meeting between the CIA director and interim president Delcy Rodríguez. This situation highlights regional tensions and ethical dilemmas in Cuban society.
