The United States says it has killed the leader of the notorious Tren de Aragua gang in a targeted military strike.
US President Donald Trump announced that American forces killed Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, widely known as Niño Guerrero, in an airstrike. Trump said the operation was carried out by US Southern Command. He also described it as a decisive blow against the Venezuelan criminal organisation.
According to Trump, the strike was coordinated with Venezuelan authorities. Venezuela later confirmed its participation in what it called a joint operation. Footage shared by the US president appeared to show a building being destroyed during the attack.
Niño Guerrero led Tren de Aragua for years, transforming it from a prison gang into one of Latin America’s most feared criminal networks. The group has been linked to drug trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, human trafficking and contract killings across several countries. The Trump administration designated the organisation a foreign terrorist group and accused it of threatening US security.
The development comes months after the US intensified efforts against Tren de Aragua and criminal groups operating across the Americas. The gang expanded beyond Venezuela during the country’s economic crisis and now has a presence in multiple countries.
US officials say the operation marks a major victory in the fight against transnational organised crime.
