A few days ago, we got this amazing update about the situation in Venezuela.  This is from my friends at Pan Am Post:  

Cuba has an "occupation" army in Venezuela, according to Secretary General of the Organization of American States Luis Almagro.

He spoke at a US Senate hearing on Wednesday, July 19, during which he expounded on Venezuela and Cuba's long-standing relationship.

"There are currently about 15,000 Cubans in Venezuela," he said. "It's like an occupation army from Cuba in Venezuela," Secretary Almagro said during his testimony before US lawmakers.

The diplomat, who has strongly condemned Maduro's dictatorial regime in Venezuela, said: "If we don't seek to free the prisoners and restore power in Venezuela, there will be no solution to the problem… Néstor Reverol, Benavides Torres and General Zavarce are responsible for every gunshot and every death in Venezuela."

That's quite an update, to say the least.  I was aware of Cubans in the Venezuelan "deep state," from enforcing laws to collecting tax payments.  I was not aware of so many Cubans.  Let's remember that 15,000 is a huge number for a small nation like Cuba.  It certainly rivals the Cuban military participation in African wars.

My first question was this: are those Cuban soldiers fighting Venezuelan protesters? 

I don't know the answer, but it won't be surprising if the Maduro regime is using Cubans to clash with the locals.  Maduro probably does not trust that Venezuelan soldiers will hurt their own people.  The confrontations have turned very harsh lately, as we can read in daily reports from the country.  

The issue is even more interesting because of stories that Cuban soldiers are conducting drills in Venezuela to prepare for an invasion.

Could U.S. Marines or Army Rangers confront Cubans in Venezuela should President Trump authorize a unilateral or lead a regional action?  Let's remember that the Marines overcame Cuban soldiers when President Reagan ordered them into Grenada in 1983. 

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