Trump says US strike killed Tren de Aragua gang boss with Venezuelan help
Summary
President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces killed Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, the leader of the Venezuelan gang Tren De Aragua, in a joint operation with Venezuela. The gang is labeled a terrorist group by the U.S. and several other countries and is involved in drug trafficking and criminal activities across South America and the U.S.Key Facts
- President Trump said the U.S. Southern Command carried out a strike that killed the gang leader, Niño Guerrero (Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores).
- Venezuela confirmed it helped in the operation, which occurred in the southeastern state of Bolívar during clashes with criminal groups.
- U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated the strike happened earlier in the week at a Tren de Aragua location in Venezuela.
- Tren de Aragua began in a Venezuelan prison and has about 7,000 members in South America and the U.S.
- The U.S. designated the gang as a terrorist organization in February 2025, and Ecuador, Argentina, Peru, Canada, and Trinidad and Tobago have done the same.
- Guerrero Flores escaped prison in 2023 before a police raid and was charged in New York with racketeering, supporting terrorism, and other crimes.
- The U.S. has conducted strikes on small boats linked to the gang, killing over 200 people, including some civilians.
- The Trump administration claims the gang operates with protection from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was kidnapped by U.S. troops in January and now faces drug charges.
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