WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump said Friday that a US military strike killed Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, the alleged leader of the Tren de Aragua criminal organization, in an operation carried out in Venezuela earlier this week.In a post on Truth Social, Trump described Guerrero Flores as the “infamous leader” of the gang and said the operation demonstrated that members of the group would find no safe haven.”Tren de Aragua terrorists no longer have safe haven in Venezuela or anywhere else,” Trump wrote, referring to Guerrero Flores by his alias “Niño Guerrero.”US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strike targeted a Tren de Aragua compound in Venezuela.”The operation underscores the shared US and Venezuelan commitment to take the fight to narco-terrorists and deny them any safe haven in our hemisphere,” Hegseth said.Guerrero Flores was charged in a federal court in New York with racketeering conspiracy and other crimes, including providing support to a designated terrorist organization.The US State Department had offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest.US authorities have accused Tren de Aragua of involvement in violent crime, extortion and drug trafficking activities across North America, South America and Europe.US Attorney Jay Clayton said last year that the organization was responsible for numerous criminal activities spanning more than a decade.The gang originated in Venezuela’s Aragua state and expanded beyond the country’s borders as millions of Venezuelans migrated throughout Latin America and beyond.According to US and regional authorities, Guerrero Flores consolidated his power while imprisoned in Venezuela in 2013 on murder and other charges.He and other inmates reportedly took control of a prison facility, creating a criminal network that operated through violence and extortion.The prison became notorious for its unusual amenities, including restaurants, a casino, sports facilities and private accommodations for gang leaders.The operation is the latest step in Trump’s campaign against Tren de Aragua, which his administration has designated as a terrorist organization.US military operations targeting what the administration describes as narcoterrorist activities have intensified in recent months, particularly in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific regions.
Keep Up to Date with our Weekly Newsletter
