BUESNOS AIRES, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Cuba is navigating another delicate moment in its recent history after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces Saturday.
The operation that removed him from Caracas and left him facing a court in New York killed 32 Cuban soldiers, part of Maduro's praetorian guard, and abruptly dismantled the island's main economic lifeline.
The blow comes amid an energy and health crisis already considered the worst in decades -- and one that could now deepen rapidly.
For more than 20 years, the alliance with Venezuela served as a strategic pillar for the Cuban government. The exchange of subsidized oil for medical and security services allowed Havana to sustain its economy after the Soviet collapse and cushion the impact of the U.S. embargo.
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