SouthernWorldwide.com – President Donald Trump announced on Friday night that the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) successfully executed Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, the “infamous” leader of the Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang, in a swift and lethal kinetic strike.
Guerrero Flores, also known as Niño Guerrero, was a 43-year-old Venezuelan national. The U.S. Department of State had previously offered a reward of up to $5 million for his arrest or conviction.
In a statement released on Truth Social, Trump criticized President Joe Biden’s administration, stating that before his return to office, Biden “opened our Southern Border to millions of Illegal Criminals, and allowed this foreign army to rape, maim, and murder American Citizens with total impunity.” Trump reiterated his campaign pledge to expel such individuals and bring justice to the victims’ families, specifically mentioning 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray and 22-year-old Laken Reilly, among countless others.
The president emphasized that the U.S. military’s action on Friday had brought retribution for the victims, their families, and loved ones.
Trump recalled that early in his administration, he fulfilled his promise to designate Tren de Aragua as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. He also stated his commitment to deporting thousands of criminals and waging war against cartels that have been attacking American citizens, contrasting this with what he described as “weak leaders” who left America vulnerable.
He further stated that this operation was coordinated with allies in Venezuela, with whom the U.S. is collaborating effectively. Trump asserted that Tren de Aragua terrorists would no longer find safe haven in Venezuela or elsewhere. He vowed that under his leadership, these “vicious murderers and drugs lords” would be found and sent to “the depths of hell.”
According to the State Department, Tren de Aragua originated as a prison gang in Venezuela’s Aragua state. It has since evolved into a transnational criminal organization, with Flores at its leadership. The U.S. has officially designated the group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
Authorities have indicated that Guerrero spent many years incarcerated at Tocorón Prison in Aragua State. During his time there, he expanded the group’s influence by extorting fellow inmates and bribing prison guards.
Over time, the gang gained overall control of Tocorón prison. They also took control of gold mines in Bolivar State, drug trafficking routes along the Caribbean coast, and some of the clandestine border crossings between Venezuela and Colombia.
