Trump says U.S. military killed Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang leader
CNBC • • nation
Key Points:
- U.S. forces conducted a strike that killed Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, aka Niño Guerrero, leader of the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua, according to former President Donald Trump.
- The operation was coordinated with Venezuelan authorities and involved intelligence sharing and specialized technological support, resulting in clashes in Bolívar state where Guerrero was neutralized.
- Tren de Aragua is designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department and is implicated in drug smuggling, human trafficking, money laundering, and other criminal activities across Latin America.
- The Trump administration has repeatedly targeted Guerrero and the gang with sanctions and claimed the group coordinated activities with Venezuela’s government under President Nicolás Maduro.
- Guerrero had escaped from Tocoron prison in Venezuela before a police raid in 2023, highlighting the gang’s influence and operational reach.