U.S. Strike Kills Leader of Tren de Aragua, Trump Says

By Aurax Radio | June 13, 2026 | 2 min read

President Donald Trump said U.S. forces have killed the alleged leader of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua in a military operation conducted with support from Venezuelan authorities. The strike marks a major escalation in Washington's campaign against transnational criminal organizations that it has designated as terrorist groups.

Security personnel operating in a rural area during a law enforcement mission.

File Image: Venezuelan and U.S. authorities reportedly coordinated an operation targeting the leadership of the Tren de Aragua gang.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced Friday that a U.S. military strike in Venezuela killed Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, better known as "Niño Guerrero," the alleged leader of the Tren de Aragua criminal organization. Trump said the operation was carried out in coordination with Venezuelan authorities and targeted a compound linked to the group in southeastern Venezuela. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth later confirmed that the strike had taken place earlier in the week.

Guerrero Flores was wanted by U.S. authorities on racketeering, terrorism-related and organized crime charges. The U.S. government has accused Tren de Aragua of involvement in drug trafficking, extortion, human trafficking and other criminal activities across the Americas and Europe. The State Department had previously offered a reward for information leading to his arrest, while federal prosecutors described the group as one of the most significant transnational criminal networks operating in the Western Hemisphere.

Niño Guerrero alleged leader of Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang was reported as killed by U.S. forces says Trump.

The gang originated within Venezuela's prison system and expanded across several countries during years of economic and political turmoil. The operation comes as the Trump administration continues to make combating transnational gangs a central part of its security and immigration agenda. Analysts are expected to closely watch whether Guerrero's death weakens the organization's regional operations or leads to further efforts targeting its remaining leadership.

Sources: Information compiled from reporting by Associated Press, Reuters, BBC News and The Washington Post.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse