STORY: Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodriguez led a tribute ceremony on Thursday (January 8) honouring military personnel killed during a U.S. military operation on January 3 that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.

Rodriguez stated that Venezuela would seek vindication through diplomatic means rather than revenge, telling the American people that Venezuelans did not deserve aggression from a nuclear power.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez attended the ceremony at Venezuela's Military Academy, where Rodriguez presented Venezuelan flags to relatives of the fallen soldiers and announced posthumous promotions and decorations.

According to Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, at least 100 people died as a result of the U.S. strikes. Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel announced on Sunday (January 4) that 32 Cuban nationals who were part of Maduro's security detail also died in the combat.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Venezuela's Rodriguez pays tribute to the people killed during the US attacks

VIDEO SHOWS: TRIBUTE CEREMONY FOR VENEZUELAN SOLDIERS KILLED DURING U.S. ATTACKS / SOUNDBITES FROM VENEZUELAN ACTING PRESIDENT DELCY RODRIGUEZ AND CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE STORY

SHOWS: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (JANUARY 8, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF VENEZUELAN ACTING PRESIDENT DELCY RODRIGUEZ NEXT TO A VENEZUELAN FLAG MADE OF FLOWERS DURING THE OFFICIAL TRIBUTE FOR THE SOLDIERS KILLED DURING THE U.S. MILITARY OPERATION

2. VENEZUELAN INTERIOR MINISTER, DIOSDADO CABELLO, DURING THE CEREMONY

3. VARIOUS OF SCREEN SHOWING THE PHOTOGRAPHS AND NAMES OF THE SOLDIERS KILLED

4. VARIOUS OF DELCY RODRIGUEZ, NEXT TO MILITARY OFFICIALS AND CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER, BRUNO RODRIGUEZ

5. VARIOUS OF RELATIVES OF SOLDIERS KILLED DURING THE U.S. OPERATION WITH VENEZUELAN FLAGS DURING THE TRIBUTE

6. RELATIVE CRYING

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN ACTING PRESIDENT, DELCY RODRIGUEZ, SAYING:

"I speak to the people of the United States. The people of Venezuela did not deserve this vile, warmongering aggression from a nuclear power. I said yesterday that this has become a stain on our relations and our history. If there's one thing I can say, it's not about revenge, but vindication - it will come when we give lessons and examples of what Bolivarian peace diplomacy means in international action."

8. DELCY RODRIGUEZ DURING HER SPEECH

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN ACTING PRESIDENT, DELCY RODRIGUEZ, SAYING:

"Weapons are meant to protect the Republic. Weapons are for defending our country, our homeland, our sovereignty, our dignity and our morals. And what I can say today from here, from Caracas, birthplace of our Liberator Simon Bolivar, is that our men and women who fell in combat are heroes and heroines of Simon Bolivar's homeland. And that our Cuban brothers and sisters, children of Marti, children of Fidel, are also heroes and heroines of this homeland, because as one people they fought in defence against illegal and illegitimate aggression."

10. RELATIVES OF VENEZUELAN SOLDIERS KILLED DURING THE U.S. OPERATION DURING THE TRIBUTE

11. DELCY RODRIGUEZ, BRUNO RODRIGUEZ, CABELLO NEXT TO OFFICIALS DURING THE TRIBUTE

12. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER, BRUNO RODRIGUEZ, SAYING:

"Honour and glory to the combatants who fell in unequal combat. Love and peace to the Venezuelan men and women murdered by the imperialist horde. To the brave Venezuelan people, we express Cuba's deepest solidarity."

13. VARIOUS OF DELCY RODRIGUEZ GIVING VENEZUELAN FLAGS TO RELATIVES OF SOLDIERS KILLED DURING THE U.S. OPERATION

14. VARIOUS OF RELATIVES OF SOLDIERS KILLED DURING THE U.S. OPERATION CRYING DURING THE TRIBUTE