Havana ¨C The capture by U.S. forces of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and the killing in the operation of 32 Cubans assigned to protect him represent a major blow for the island¡¯s revered intelligence services, experts say.
Fearful of betrayal by dissenters within Venezuela¡¯s ranks, the leftist Maduro ¡ª like his late mentor Hugo Chavez ¡ª sourced his security detail in communist-ruled Cuba.
But the Cubans proved little match for the U.S. special forces sent by helicopter to snatch Maduro from a military compound after U.S. jets had pummeled Venezuela¡¯s air defenses.
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