Colombia captures a suspected Tren de Aragua gang leader as US security ties deepen
Summary
Colombian security forces captured Luis Saúl Pérez Nieto, a suspected senior leader of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, with help from the U.S. The arrest shows stronger military cooperation between Colombia and the U.S. to fight organized crime under Colombia’s new president, Abelardo de la Espriella.Key Facts
- Luis Saúl Pérez Nieto was captured in Colombia and is suspected of leading Tren de Aragua’s drug and weapons trafficking networks in Latin America.
- Tren de Aragua started as a prison gang in Venezuela but became a large criminal group across countries.
- Pérez Nieto escaped from Venezuela’s Tocorón prison in 2023 with another gang leader, Héctor Guerrero Flores.
- Guerrero Flores was killed in a U.S. military strike in Venezuela earlier in 2026.
- Colombia’s new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, supports strong action against drug cartels with U.S. help.
- The U.S. Southern Command praised the arrest and emphasized cooperation with Colombia to fight narco-terrorism.
- Medellín is named as a key city for this new U.S.-Colombia regional anti-cartel alliance.
- The U.S. designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization in 2025, treating cartels as national security threats.
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