Cuba Launches Mass Demonstration to Decry US Attack on Venezuela and Demand Maduro’s Release

Members of the armed forces hold images of former Cuban president Raul Castro and the late Cuban leader Fidel Castro during an “Anti-Imperialist” protest in front of the US Embassy against the US incursion in Venezuela, where 32 Cuban soldiers lost their lives, in Havana on January 16, 2026. The capture by US forces of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro on January 3, 2026, and the killing in the operation of 32 Cubans assigned to protect him represent a major blow for the island’s revered intelligence services, experts say. (Photo by YAMIL LAGE / AFP via Getty Images)

HAVANA (AP) — Tens of thousands of Cubans have gathered in Havana to protest the killing of 32 Cuban officers in Venezuela. The demonstration took place Friday at the “José Martí Anti-Imperialist” plaza across from the U.S. Embassy. The crowd demanded the release of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, who was arrested by the U.S. on Jan. 3. Cuba’s Foreign Ministry described the protest as a response to threats against peace and sovereignty. President Miguel Díaz-Canel attended the event. The protest follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent demands for Cuba to negotiate with him amid tightened sanctions and economic struggles.