January 10, 2026 | SUNTV Global Channel | News
The Nigeria Movement of Solidarity With Cuba (NMSC) has strongly condemned the United States’ military operation in Venezuela that reportedly led to the deaths of 32 Cuban nationals, describing the action as an injustice, a violation of international law and an assault on national sovereignty.
In a statement issued on January 10 and signed by veteran labour activist Owei Lakemfa, the coalition said it stood in “deep condolence” with the Cuban people following the deaths of Cuban personnel killed during a U.S. raid in Caracas on January 3. The operation reportedly also resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
The Cuban government has confirmed that the 32 victims were all members of its armed forces and intelligence services.
“We condole with the families of those killed in Venezuela and pray that the souls of the Cuban 32 rest in power,” the NMSC said, praising the fallen Cubans as individuals who “chose to fight and die rather than surrender in the face of overwhelming force.”
The Nigerian solidarity group described the U.S. action as part of a wider pattern of military aggression that violates the United Nations Charter and undermines the sovereignty of independent nations.
The group called on the United States to release President Maduro and his wife, respect international law and put an end to what it described as Washington’s “invasion of countries and territories.”
Cuba, a long-standing ally of Venezuela, has declared days of national mourning to honour the 32 Cubans killed, hailing them for their “dignity and heroism” in defence of Venezuelan soil. Havana has also accused the United States of committing a “criminal act of aggression and state terrorism.”
In its statement, the NMSC highlighted Cuba’s long history of international solidarity, citing examples ranging from resistance during foreign invasions to humanitarian interventions across the world.
Recalling past events, the group noted that Cuban workers killed during the 1983 U.S.-led invasion of Grenada and Cuban fighters who supported liberation struggles in Angola, Namibia and South Africa exemplified the same spirit of sacrifice.
“Thousands of Cuban youths laid down their lives to help free Africa from apartheid forces backed by Western powers,” the statement said.
Beyond armed conflicts, the group also praised Cuba’s global humanitarian contributions, particularly its medical diplomacy. It recalled Cuba’s deployment of doctors and health workers to countries around the world, including Nigeria, and its response during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Havana accepted stranded cruise ship passengers and dispatched medical teams to dozens of countries.
The NMSC reiterated its support for repeated United Nations General Assembly resolutions calling for the lifting of the United States’ decades-long economic embargo on Cuba, a position endorsed by the UN for more than 30 years.
The group extended the same demand to Venezuela, urging an end to unilateral sanctions, which it said only worsen the suffering of ordinary citizens.
“Humanity deserves peace, progress and development—not a cycle of wars, sanctions, retrogression and underdevelopment,” the statement concluded.
The U.S. military operation in Venezuela and the reported capture of President Maduro have sparked widespread international reactions, with solidarity groups, labour organisations and political movements condemning the action as a breach of Venezuela’s sovereignty and international law.
— SUNTV Global Channel
