By agency reports
Elite Cuban intelligence failed to protect former Venezuelan President Nicolas who was captured alongside his wife by U.S. Delta Force operatives during their invasion of the presidential palace in the country’s capital Caracas on Jan 3.
The arrest of the President and his wife has triggered a wave of strategic analysis highlighting a critical failure by Cuban intelligence services.
Cuban intelligence has long been regarded as the “elite force” of Latin America and tasked with Maduro’s personal protection.
According to multiple assessments, Cuban intelligence—widely considered among the most experienced and disciplined in the region—was unable to prevent U.S. special operations forces from breaching Maduro’s residence and detaining both the president and his wife during the pre-dawn operation at approximately 2:00 a.m.
President Donald Trump stated that 32 Cuban security operatives were killed while attempting to protect Maduro.
U.S. forces reportedly sustained no casualties or equipment losses during the operation.
The outcome has severely undermined the decades-long reputation of Cuban intelligence as a highly capable defensive and counterintelligence apparatus.
Maduro had been considered one of the most heavily guarded foreign leaders under Cuban protection.
Senior Cuban intelligence and military advisers, including Asdrúbal de la Vega, were believed to be leading the presidential security detail in Venezuela.
The current whereabouts of de la Vega remain unknown.
Security analysts and regional observers argue that the incident exposes fundamental weaknesses in Cuba’s protective and counterintelligence procedures.
Some former senior diplomats in the region have noted that the most damaging aspect of the operation was not only the loss of personnel, but the apparent inability of Cuban forces to inflict any measurable cost on U.S. units.
This has raised questions about Cuba’s true military and operational capabilities.
The operation is also expected to carry significant political and economic consequences for Havana.
With Cuba already facing a deepening economic crisis, analysts warn that the potential disruption or loss of Venezuelan economic assistance including subsidized oil supplies—could further destabilize the Cuban regime from within.
The failure to protect Maduro may mark a turning point for Cuban influence in Venezuela and across the region.
As U.S. operational dominance is demonstrated with minimal resistance, allied regimes may reassess the reliability of Cuban security support.
Internally, Havana may face increased pressure from both political elites and security institutions forced to confront the limits of their capabilities.
The arrest of Maduro has not only reshaped the political landscape of Venezuela but has also dealt a serious blow to Cuba’s long-standing intelligence prestige.
The loss of personnel, combined with the strategic imbalance revealed by the operation, could have lasting repercussions for Cuba’s regional role and domestic stability.
