100 killed in US raid: Venezuelan Interior Minister

At least 100 people have been killed in the US military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said in a state television broadcast on Wednesday (January 7). This is the first time the Caracas government has officially announced the death toll.

The Venezuelan government has not released a specific death toll, but the country's military has separately released a list of 23 members of its forces killed. According to government officials, a large part of Maduro's security forces were killed in a "cold-blooded" operation, which amounts to a direct aggression against the country.

The impact of the incident is not limited to Venezuela. Cuba, an ally, said that some members of its military and intelligence services stationed in Venezuela were also killed in the US attack, which has sparked renewed tensions throughout the Latin American region.

Interior Minister Cabello also said that President Maduro's wife, Celia Flores, was taken away during the operation and suffered a head injury. At the same time, he claimed that President Maduro himself was injured in the leg. However, no further details were given about their current physical conditions.

In his weekly address broadcast on state television, Cabello described the slain Venezuelan soldiers as "brave and patriotic." He said they gave their lives defending the country's sovereignty. The government has declared a week of national mourning starting Tuesday in memory of the victims.

The attack is generating strong reactions in the international arena. Venezuela and its allies have signaled a renewed diplomatic and political stance, especially focusing on the role of the United States.