Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Jun 13: US President Donald Trump has announced that American forces have killed Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, widely known as “Niño Guerrero,” the alleged leader of the Venezuelan criminal organisation Tren de Aragua, in a military operation conducted in coordination with Venezuelan authorities.
In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump said the operation was carried out by the US Southern Command and described it as a “swift and lethal kinetic strike” that successfully eliminated Guerrero, whom he labelled the head of one of the world’s most dangerous criminal organisations.
The President said the strike fulfilled a key promise of his administration to pursue and dismantle violent transnational gangs that, according to him, had entered the United States through the southern border. He argued that the action delivered justice for victims of crimes linked to the group and their families.
Trump used the announcement to reiterate his criticism of former President Joe Biden’s immigration policies, claiming they had allowed criminal elements to enter the country and operate with impunity. He also highlighted his administration’s decision to designate Tren de Aragua as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and intensify operations against international criminal networks.
According to Trump, the mission was conducted in close cooperation with Venezuelan authorities, reflecting what he described as growing collaboration between Washington and Caracas in tackling organised crime. Venezuelan officials also acknowledged coordination and intelligence-sharing in the operation.
The US administration has long identified Guerrero as a key figure behind the expansion of Tren de Aragua from a prison-based gang in Venezuela into a transnational criminal network. US authorities have linked the organisation to drug trafficking, human smuggling, extortion, kidnapping, money laundering and other organised crime activities across the Americas.
Guerrero had been the subject of US criminal charges and a multimillion-dollar reward offer before the operation. His death marks one of the most significant actions taken against the group since Washington formally designated Tren de Aragua a terrorist organisation.