Who was Niño Guerrero? The alleged drug kingpin the US killed in Venezuela
CNN • • nation
Key Points:
- Former US President Donald Trump announced a joint US-Venezuela operation that killed Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, leader of the Tren de Aragua criminal gang, designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization during Trump’s second term.
- Guerrero Flores, known as "Niño Guerrero," had a long criminal history including murder, prison escape, and drug trafficking, and led Tren de Aragua’s expansion across several Latin American countries and into the US.
- Tren de Aragua operated extensively within Venezuela's Tocorón prison and expanded its influence regionally, with reported cells in Spain and presence in multiple countries including Colombia, Brazil, and the US.
- The Trump administration intensified actions against the gang, designating it as a foreign terrorist organization, deporting alleged members under the Foreign Enemies Act, and targeting drug trafficking vessels linked to the group.
- Despite the high-profile announcement and military actions, public evidence linking the gang to narcotics on attacked vessels has not been disclosed by the US government.