Venezuela's military buries soldiers killed in US operation to capture Maduro

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela's military held a funeral in the capital Wednesday for some of the dozens of soldiers killed during the U.S. operation that captured then-President Nicolás Maduro.

Music from a military orchestra echoed over the cemetery as family members and soldiers marched behind a row of caskets. Men carried the wooden caskets cloaked in the Venezuelan flag past rows of uniformed officers.

“Thank you for letting them embrace a military career,” a military commander, Rafael Murillo, said to families surrounding him at the cemetery on the city’s south side.

The men were honored with a gun salute as the caskets were lowered into the ground and their loved ones wailed. Armed National Guard members patrolled parts of the cemetery for hours before and during the ceremony that followed an emotional wake.

The funeral came a day after acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared a seven-day mourning period for the fallen officers.

Venezuela's military has said at least 24 Venezuelan officers were killed in Saturday's dead-of-night U.S. military operation to capture Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores and spirit them to New York to face drug charges.

Maduro and Flores each pleaded not guilty to the charges in a U.S. court Monday.

Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said Wednesday on state television that at least 100 people were killed and a similar number injured during the U.S. operation. He did not provide a breakdown of civilians and members of the armed forces as well as nationalities.

Cuba has said 32 Cuban military and police officers working in Venezuela were killed in the U.S. operation.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab said prosecutors would investigate the deaths in what he described as a war crime.

“Their spilled blood does not cry out for vengeance, but for justice and strength,” the Venezuelan military wrote in an Instagram post Monday. “It reaffirms our unwavering oath not to rest until we rescue our legitimate President, completely dismantle the terrorist groups operating from abroad, and ensure that events such as these never again sully our sovereign soil.”

Associated Press reporter Megan Janetsky contributed to this report from Mexico City.

Military personnel stand by the coffins of soldiers killed in the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife during the soldiers' funeral in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Relatives of soldiers killed in the U.S. raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife mourn during the soldiers' funeral in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Cemetery workers lower the casket of a soldier killed in the U.S. raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife into the ground in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

A military cap rests on the coffin of Venezuelan soldier Cesar Garcia, who was killed in a U.S. raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, during his wake in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Members of the military carry the coffin of Venezuelan soldier Cesar Garcia, killed in a U.S. raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, after his wake in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Ramona Palma, mother of Venezuelan soldier Cesar Garcia, mourns during his wake in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, after Garcia was killed in a U.S. raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Members of the military place the coffin of Venezuelan soldier Cesar Garcia, killed in a U.S. raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, into a hearse after his wake in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

A military officer comforts Ramona Palma, the mother of Venezuelan soldier Cesar Garcia, who was killed in a U.S. raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, after Garcia's wake in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

PHOENIX (AP) — Sarah Strong of UConn was named The Associated Press women’s basketball Player of the Year on Thursday after leading the Huskies to an undefeated season, setting the stage for a run to the Final Four.

Strong became just the fifth player to win the award in her sophomore year, joining Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris (2007), UConn stars Maya Moore (2009) and Breanna Stewart (2014), and USC's JuJu Watkins, who won it last year. The AP started giving out the award in 1995.

It's the 13th time that a Huskies player has won the award with Paige Bueckers being the last to do it before Strong in 2021.

Vanderbilt's Shea Ralph, who was a former UConn player and assistant coach, won the AP Coach of the Year award. They both accepted the awards in front of a full room that included the entire UConn team, which gave a standing ovation when both winners were announced.

“I’m so blessed because I totally got to this point in my life because of my teammates,” Strong said.

Strong received 25 votes from a national media panel that votes for the Top 25 each week. Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes garnered four votes and UCLA's Lauren Betts got the other two. Voting was completed before the NCAA Tournament began.

“Anybody that has watched us play would probably tell you that she's the heart and soul of our team,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “She elevates the play of everyone on our team."

He called Strong “the most low-key superstar you ever saw.”

“You don’t see that look in her eyes, you know, like, oh, my God, there’s always just, a calmness,” he said. “That’s the best way I can describe it. That allows her to just be free and fluid and play without worry. ”

Auriemma has coached some of the greatest in the game including Breanna Stewart, Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Diana Taurasi. Strong fits in with them.

“The great ones, the great ones all had it. I never saw (Taurasi) nervous,” he said. ‘You know that they came in as freshmen and you can tell by the look in their eyes, ’I can handle this. This is what I think. This is why I came here.' You know some may pretend, but you know deep down you’re not ready for that moment. She’s ready for that one."

Strong is averaging 18.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 1.6 blocks a game while helping UConn go 38-0. She's shooting 59.4% from the field, 40.4% from 3 and 84.8% from the the foul line while playing just 27 minutes a game.

The sensational sophomore raised her game when the Huskies faced Top 25 opponents, averaging over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. She reached 1,000 career points in her 59th career game, the third-fastest player in school history to reach the milestone.

Strong was the Big East Player of the Year as well as the Most Outstanding Player of the Fort Worth Regional.

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Associated Press deputy global sports editor Oscar Dixon, left, presents UConn's Sarah Strong with the 2026 AP Women's Player of the Year award during a news conference at the Women's Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

UConn forward Sarah Strong, front, and Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo compete for a loose ball during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

FILE - UConn forward Sarah Strong (21) reacts during the first half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Syracuse, Monday, March 23, 2026, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)

FILE - UConn forward Sarah Strong drives against Notre Dame during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

FILE - UConn forward Sarah Strong (21) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Notre Dame, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)