WASHINGTON : U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Friday that a targeted American military strike in Venezuela has killed Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, better known by his alias “Niño Guerrero,” the alleged leader of the notorious Tren de Aragua criminal organization.
Trump described the operation as a “swift and lethal kinetic strike,” stating that it successfully eliminated one of the most wanted figures linked to transnational organized crime. The Tren de Aragua gang has been designated by the United States as a terrorist organization and has been accused of involvement in drug trafficking, extortion, human smuggling, and violent criminal activities across North America, South America, and Europe.
According to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the strike targeted a Tren de Aragua compound in Venezuela earlier this week. Trump shared footage of the operation on social media, showing an aerial view of a small structure with a green roof being destroyed in an explosion.
“The Tren de Aragua terrorists no longer have safe haven in Venezuela or anywhere else,” Trump wrote. “Under my leadership, we will find these vicious murderers and drug lords anytime, anyplace, and send them to the depths of hell where they belong.”
Guerrero Flores had been charged in a federal court in New York with racketeering conspiracy and several other offenses, including providing support to terrorist activities. U.S. authorities had previously announced a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton described Tren de Aragua as a major criminal network responsible for widespread violence, extortion, and narcotics trafficking. The organization has gained international notoriety as Venezuelan migration spread across the Western Hemisphere over the past decade.
Originating within a prison in Venezuela’s Aragua state, the gang reportedly expanded under Guerrero Flores’ leadership. Authorities allege that he and other inmates effectively took control of the prison, transforming it into a fortified criminal hub complete with restaurants, recreational facilities, and luxury accommodations.
The operation marks the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s campaign against what it calls “narco-terrorist” organizations. In recent months, the administration has conducted multiple military operations targeting suspected drug-smuggling routes and criminal networks throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.
Defense Secretary Hegseth said the strike demonstrates a shared commitment between the United States and Venezuelan authorities to combat organized crime and eliminate safe havens for terrorist-linked groups. However, Venezuelan officials had not immediately commented on the reported operation.
Tren de Aragua has been blamed by several Latin American countries, including Colombia and Peru, for violent crimes, kidnappings, extortion schemes, and human trafficking activities. The group’s exact size remains unclear, but security experts consider it one of the most influential criminal organizations to emerge from Venezuela in recent years.
The announcement comes as immigration and border security remain central issues in U.S. politics. Trump has repeatedly cited Tren de Aragua as a major threat to public safety and has pledged to intensify efforts against transnational criminal organizations if his administration continues its anti-crime initiatives.
Further details regarding the strike and independent confirmation of Guerrero Flores’ death are awaited.
