WASHINGTON, D.C., June 13 (ANI) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that the U.S. Southern Command, acting on his orders and in coordination with Venezuelan authorities, killed Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, also known as “Niño Guerrero,” the leader of the Venezuela-based gang Tren de Aragua.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “At my direction, the United States Southern Command delivered a swift and lethal 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 said the operation was carried out in close coordination with Venezuelan authorities and declared that “Tren de Aragua terrorists no longer have safe haven in Venezuela or anywhere else.”
In a sharp attack on former President Joe Biden, Trump accused the previous administration of opening the nation’s southern border to millions of “illegal criminals” and allowing the gang to “rape, maim, and murder American citizens with total impunity.”
He recalled pledging during his presidential campaign to expel gang members from the United States and deliver justice to families who lost loved ones, “including the precious 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, 22-year-old Laken Riley, and countless other beautiful souls.”
“With this action, the United States military has brought retribution for them, their families, and their loved ones,” Trump said.
The president also highlighted his administration’s decision to designate Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization, deport thousands of criminals, and intensify efforts against drug cartels.
“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,” Trump wrote.
CBS News, citing federal prosecutors, reported that Flores was also known as “The Unspeakable” and “The Big Eyebrow.” Prosecutors allege that for more than a decade he helped transform Tren de Aragua from a Venezuelan prison gang into a transnational criminal organization with a presence across the Americas, including the United States.
The U.S. State Department had offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his capture.
According to CBS, the indictment accused Flores of leading a criminal enterprise involved in drug and human trafficking, extortion, and acts of violence.
In a post on X, Venezuela’s Ministry of Information said the operation was carried out as part of a joint effort between Venezuelan and U.S. security agencies, supported by specialized technology and intelligence-sharing mechanisms between the two countries.
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