Trump says leader of Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang killed in US strike | Donald Trump
The US military killed Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, the leader of the Venezuelan street gang Tren de Aragua, with the help of Venezuela and Donald Trump. announced on Friday.
“Under my direction, United States Southern Command conducted a swift and deadly kinetic strike to successfully execute Niño Guerrero, the infamous leader of Tren De Aragua, one of the most bloodthirsty Terrorist Organizations on Planet Earth,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“This action was closely coordinated with our friends in Venezuela, with whom we work very well.”
Trump’s post also included a video showing the strike.
Tren de Aragua has been labeled a terrorist organization by the United States. Guerrero Flores charged He was indicted in New York federal court on charges of racketeering conspiracy and other crimes, including supporting terrorists in crimes spanning more than a decade, authorities said in December.
The US State Department had offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest of Guerrero Flores.
US attorney Jay Clayton said at the time that the gang was responsible for countless acts of violence, extortion and drug trafficking in North America, South America and Europe. Trump nominated Clayton to be director of national intelligence on Thursday.
Trump has taken a series of extraordinary actions against the gang, including attacks on small boats that his administration accuses of smuggling drugs into America.
The Trump administration claimed that Tren de Aragua had “invaded” the United States and was responsible for violence and illegal drugs in U.S. cities; These sweeping statements sparked criticism from some in the Venezuelan diaspora.
For months, the president repeated the claim — contradicted by a declassified U.S. intelligence assessment — that Tren de Aragua was operating under the control of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The US removed Maduro from Venezuela in January to face US drug charges.
Trump also used Friday’s announcement to oppose his predecessor.
“Before I returned to office, Joe Biden opened our Southern Border to millions of Illegal Criminals and allowed this foreign military to rape, maim, and kill American Citizens with complete impunity,” she wrote.
He referenced Jocelyn Nungaray and Laken Reilly, two American citizens killed in separate attacks by undocumented immigrants. Their case has become a political lightning rod for conservatives who blame it on the Democratic leadership’s border policies.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
