Cubans bundled in hats and jackets gathered on the capital`s Malecon waterfront boulevard waving Cuban and Venezuelan flags under gray skies as blustery winds and waves buffeted the coast on Friday (January 16).

They marched to honour 32 Cubans who died in Venezuela during the U.S. military operation to capture Nicolas Maduro in Caracas.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, dressed in olive-green military garb and with his back to the U.S. embassy, called on Cubans to remain united in the face of U.S. pressure.

"No, imperialists, we have absolutely no fear of you...and we don`t like to be threatened," he said, turning to wave his finger at the embassy building. "You will not intimidate us."

The previous day, Revolutionary leader Raul Castro and President Diaz-Canel presided over the first posthumous tribute when the remains arrived at Jose Marti International Airport, with urns transported through Rancho Boyeros Avenue to the Ministry of Revolutionary Armed Forces headquarters.

Memorial ceremonies were scheduled for Friday morning in all provincial capitals across the country, followed by burials in local Fallen Defenders pantheons in the afternoon.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

HAVANA, CUBA (JANUARY 16, 2026) (CUBAN GOVERNMENT TV - Access All)

1. MILITARY PERSONNEL HOLDING PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE 32 CUBANS WHO DIED IN VENEZUELA

2. AERIAL VIEW OF CROWD GATHERED ON HAVANA'S MALECON FOR MARCH

3. MILITARY PERSONNEL HOLDING PHOTOGRAPHS OF CUBANS KILLED DURING U.S. ATTACKS IN VENEZUELA

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CUBAN PRESIDENT, MIGUEL DIAZ-CANEL, SAYING: (SOUNDBITE BEGINS ON AERIAL VIEW OF CROWD ON HAVANA'S MALECON AND CONTINUES OVER A SHOT OF VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR TO CUBA, ORLANDO MANEIRO AND A SHOT OF U.S EMBASSY AND CUBAN FLAG WAVING)

"No, imperialists, we're not afraid of you at all. We don't like it when you threaten us, as Fidel said. You won't intimidate us."

5. AERIAL VIEW OF CROWD GATHERING ON THE MALECON LISTENING TO DIAZ-CANEL SPEECH

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CUBAN PRESIDENT, MIGUEL DIAZ-CANEL, SAYING:

"Our brave fighters, armed with conventional weapons and wearing nothing but their morale and loyalty to the mission they were carrying out, fought to the death and struck their adversaries."

7. AERIAL VIEW OF CROWD GATHERED ON THE MALECON APPLAUDING DIAZ-CANEL'S SPEECH

8. CUBAN FLAGS WAVING

9. DIAZ-CANEL POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH FAMILY MEMBERS OF A CUBAN WHO DIED IN U.S. ATTACKS IN VENEZUELA

10. MILITARY PERSONNEL HOLDING PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE 32 CUBANS WHO DIED IN VENEZUELA

11. DIAZ-CANEL AND CUBAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS LEADING MARCH

12. VARIOUS OF AERIAL VIEWS OF MARCH