Trump says U.S. strike killed leader of Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang

President Donald Trump said on Friday that U.S. Southern Command executed a kinetic strike that killed Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, also known as Niño Guerrero, the leader of the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua. He posted on Truth Social that the operation was conducted at his direction and was coordinated closely with Venezuelan officials.

Pentagon spokesperson Pete Hegseth confirmed on X that the strike took place earlier in the week and that Guerrero was confirmed dead. Venezuela’s information ministry reported that the operation occurred in Bolívar state during clashes with criminal groups, resulting in Guerrero’s neutralization. The ministry said the mission involved specialized technological support and intelligence sharing between the two countries.

The Trump administration has previously sanctioned Guerrero and other Tren de Aragua leaders for alleged involvement in drug smuggling, human trafficking, and money laundering. The State Department has designated the group as a foreign terrorist organization. The administration has also cited alleged ties between the gang and the Venezuelan government as a basis for deporting some U.S. immigrants to a prison in El Salvador.

Tren de Aragua is reported to be active in human trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, money laundering, contract killings, smuggling and organized retail theft across South America. Guerrero escaped from the Tocoron prison in 2023 shortly before a police raid.