New York/The permanent representative of Cuba to the United Nations, Ernesto Soberón, described this Monday as an “unacceptable and barbaric act” the United States military operation in Venezuela that led to the arrest of the president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores.
During a special session of the UN Security Council on the situation in Venezuela, Soberón accused the United States of wanting to impose a “puppet government functional to its rapacious objectives, in particular access to natural resources” of the South American country, and maintained that Washington’s actions represent “absolute disrespect for the UN charter and international law.”
The Caribbean representative, on the other hand, confirmed that the 32 Cuban soldiers who died during the operations “fell after fierce resistance in direct combat against the attackers or as a result of the bombings.”
Maduro’s first personal security circle was made up mainly of Cubans
Many analysts had pointed out that Maduro’s first personal security circle was made up mainly of Cubans, something that Caracas and Havana had never confirmed.
During his intervention at the emergency meeting, whose call was promoted by Colombia and officially supported by Russia and China, Soberón reiterated that Havana condemns “in the strongest terms” the “aggression” and reaffirmed the island’s full support for the Maduro Government.
“Cuba calls for an urgent reaction from the international community against this criminal attack against Venezuela, a peaceful nation,” added the diplomat, who demanded Washington’s immediate release of the president and his wife.
“Cuba calls for an urgent reaction from the international community against this criminal attack”
Until now, Cuba and Venezuela were close political and economic allies. Havana paid for crude oil shipments from Caracas with professional services, mainly doctors, teachers and also military, personal security and intelligence personnel.
The fall of Maduro has plunged the Cuban Government into great uncertainty, which already has to face a serious economic and energy crisis.
