Venezuela holds funeral in Caracas for soldiers killed in US operation

Venezuela's military held a funeral in the capital Wednesday for some of the dozens of soldiers killed during the US operation that captured then-President Nicols 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 Rodrguez declared a seven-day mourning period for the fallen officers. Venezuela's military has said at least 24 Venezuelan officers were kill