US strike kills alleged leader of Tren de Aragua gang, a key target of Trump's immigration crackdown.
Key facts
- •Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, alias Niño Guerrero, was killed in a US strike in Venezuela.
- •The strike was carried out by the US Southern Command in cooperation with Venezuelan security agencies.
- •Tren de Aragua was designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the State Department in February 2025.
- •Guerrero Flores was charged with racketeering conspiracy and lending support to terrorists, among other crimes.
- •The US offered $5 million in rewards for information leading to Guerrero Flores' arrest or conviction.
- •The strike was described by Trump as a fulfillment of his campaign pledge on immigration.
US President Donald Trump announced that the alleged leader of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuela-based gang, was killed in a US strike. The strike was carried out in cooperation with the Venezuelan government. The target was Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, also known as Niño Guerrero.
Background on Tren de Aragua
Tren de Aragua is a Venezuela-based gang that has been a key target of Trump's immigration crackdown. The State Department designated the gang as a foreign terrorist organization in February 2025. The US charged Guerrero Flores with racketeering conspiracy and lending support to terrorists, among other crimes, and offered $5 million in rewards for information leading to his arrest or conviction.
US Strike and Reaction
The US strike was carried out by the US Southern Command, in cooperation with Venezuelan security agencies, in the southeastern Bolívar state. Trump called the strike a fulfillment of his campaign pledge on immigration, stating that it brought retribution for the families of those killed by the gang. The Venezuelan government confirmed the death of Guerrero Flores, describing the operation as a joint effort between US and Venezuelan security agencies.
Timeline
- February 2025The State Department designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization.
- July last yearGuerrero Flores was sanctioned by the US government, alongside five other alleged Tren de Aragua leaders and affiliates.
- DecemberThe US charged Guerrero Flores with racketeering conspiracy and lending support to terrorists, among other crimes.
- FridayThe US strike killed Guerrero Flores in Venezuela.
This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by NBC Politics, MercoPress.
