The facts surrounding the January 3rd military operation in Venezuela are coming into sharper focus, and they present a stark contrast to the administration’s public statements about the mission.
Eighteen-year-old Saul Pereira Martinez was on guard duty at Fort Tiuna in Caracas when the operation began. His final message to his mother was brief: “I love you. It has begun.” He would not survive the night.
President Trump has characterized the operation to apprehend former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as remarkably successful, specifically claiming there were no casualties in the mission. However, Venezuela’s defense ministry reports that at least 83 individuals were killed during the assault, including 47 Venezuelan soldiers and 32 Cuban security personnel who were present at the installation.
The discrepancy between these accounts raises significant questions about the operation’s execution and the accuracy of information being provided to the American people.
Natividad Martinez, the young soldier’s mother, visited her son’s grave this past Sunday. She remains in shock over the events of that January night. Her last conversation with Saul occurred at 2:00 in the morning, when he told her he loved her and asked her to care for his two younger brothers, ages two and nine.
“You cannot come to my country and kill people like that,” Martinez said, challenging the administration’s characterization of events. “Because they say ‘it was a clean operation.’ It was not clean. Do you know how many people died?”
According to Saul’s stepfather, a police officer and government security official who requested anonymity, the young soldier’s unit was positioned within the security perimeter surrounding Maduro that night, which likely made them targets during the assault. Saul had only recently completed his initial training with the Honor Guard in December and was continuing his studies at the military academy.
The family gathered at the cemetery in southern Caracas on Sunday, joined by Saul’s girlfriend and friends. They brought flowers and, to the accompaniment of old salsa music, shared memories of the young man they remember as brave.
The administration has presented this operation as a decisive foreign policy victory, successfully removing Maduro from power and installing interim leadership in Venezuela. The geopolitical implications are indeed significant. However, the human cost of such operations deserves accurate accounting and honest assessment.
When military action is undertaken in America’s name, the American people have a right to know the full truth of what transpired. The families mourning their loved ones in Caracas certainly deserve that much.
The question now facing both the administration and Congress is whether a full accounting of the operation will be provided, including verified casualty figures and a complete after-action report. Transparency in military operations, particularly those that result in loss of life, remains a cornerstone of democratic accountability.
That is the way it is.
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