The Daily Journal — The United States government announced on Friday the death of Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, known as “Niño Guerrero” and identified as the founder and top leader of the transnational criminal organization Tren de Aragua, during an operation carried out in Venezuelan territory in coordination with Venezuelan security forces.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the outcome of the operation on Truth Social.
“Under my direction, United States Southern Command carried out a swift and lethal kinetic strike that successfully eliminated Niño Guerrero,” Trump wrote, adding that authorities coordinated the action “closely” with Venezuelan officials.
The president added that the operation forms part of Washington’s strategy against criminal organizations that the United States has designated as foreign terrorist groups. He also stated that the Tren de Aragua “no longer has a haven in Venezuela or anywhere else.”
“During my campaign, I pledged to drive these monsters out of our country and deliver justice for their victims’ families, including 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, 22-year-old Laken Reilly, and many others,” the Republican president recalled.
For his part, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said authorities launched the incursion earlier this week against a compound used by the criminal organization.
“Earlier this week, the Department of War, working in full cooperation with Venezuelan security forces, carried out a kinetic strike against a Tren de Aragua compound in Venezuela,” Hegseth said on X.
According to the official, authorities confirmed Guerrero Flores’ death during the operation, which he described as part of a joint effort to combat organizations linked to drug trafficking and other criminal activities throughout the region.
Leader of a regional criminal network
Authorities considered Guerrero Flores the top leader of the Tren de Aragua. This organization emerged from Tocorón Prison in Aragua state and expanded its operations across several Latin American countries during the last decade.
Authorities in several countries attribute crimes such as extortion, kidnapping, drug trafficking, human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and arms trafficking to the organization.
After Venezuelan authorities intervened in Tocorón Prison in September 2023, Guerrero Flores escaped and remained on the run ever since. International alerts sought his capture, and security agencies in several countries listed him as one of their highest-priority targets.
