Venezuela's Interim President Grants Decorations To Troops Killed During Operation To Capture Maduro, Including Cubans

Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez granted posthumous decorations to the troops that were killed during the operation that captured authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro.

"We're here to pay due honors to noble men and women whose lives were taken in a vile attack," Rodriguez said. She went on to say that the operation is a "stain in our relations and history."

Overall, 24 Venezuelan soldiers were honored in the ceremony. Cuba, on its end, said that 32 of its troops died while carrying out missions on behalf of the Cuban Armed Forces and the Interior Ministry.

"Faithful to their responsibilities for security and defense, our compatriots honorably and heroically fulfilled their duty and fell after fierce resistance in direct combat against the attackers or as a result of bombardments of the facilities," Havana said in a statement.

Despite the rhetoric, President Donald Trump said his administration is "getting along very well" with the interim government. In a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times, Trump said the regime led by interim President Delcy Rodriguez is "giving us everything that we feel is necessary."

Elsewhere in the interview, Trump said his administration expects to maintain direct oversight of the government in Caracas for an extended period, noting that it will last "much longer than a year."

Trump said in another interview that he cancelled a previously anticipated second wave of military attacks after the country's authorities began releasing political prisoners, calling the move a sign that Caracas was "seeking peace."

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Venezuela had released "large numbers of political prisoners," describing the decision as a "very important and smart gesture." He added that, as a result, "I have cancelled the previously expected second Wave of Attacks, which looks like it will not be needed," while noting that U.S. naval assets would remain in place "for safety and security purposes."

Trump said the United States and Venezuela were "working well together," particularly on plans to rebuild the country's oil and gas infrastructure. He said oil companies were expected to invest at least $100 billion and that he would meet with senior energy executives at the White House on Friday.

Originally published on Latin Times