Cuba on Jan 15 received the remains of its 32 soldiers killed in combat during the US attack on Venezuela and stunning capture of its president, Mr Nicolas Maduro, paying homage to the troops as national "heroes".

The remains of the soldiers, members of Cuba’s armed forces and intelligence agencies, arrived early on Jan 15 at Havana’s international airport, in caskets draped in the Cuban flag, Reuters reported. 

Cuba has provided some security for Mr Maduro since he came to power. It was not clear how many of the fallen Cubans were guarding the Venezuelan president when they died, or how many may have perished elsewhere.