U.S. Airstrike Claims Venezuelan Gang Boss
The U.S. military says it killed Héctor Guerrero Flores, the long‑time leader of the Tren de Aragua gang, during an airstrike announced by President Donald Trump on Tuesday. Trump posted footage that appears to show a green building and a nearby shed explode, which he said was coordinated with Venezuelan allies.
Guerrero, known by the nickname “Niño” Guerrero, has led the gang since the early 2000s. Tren de Aragua is one of Latin America’s most brutal criminal organisations, expanding from extortion of migrants into drug trafficking, contract killing and kidnapping.
The Trump administration has listed the gang as a foreign terrorist organisation and launched a series of US strikes on vessels and supply routes linked to it. Over 200 people are alleged to have died in these operations since September, though U.S. officials have offered little evidence that the vessels carried drugs.
Critics argue that the strikes may violate international law by targeting civilians without due process and that the U.S. has no legal basis to conduct anti‑drug operations in international waters. The White House has maintained that the strikes are lawful, citing an armed conflict with drug cartels that enables “combatant” status for traffickers.
In January, U.S. forces allegedly seized former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s U.N. residence, accusing him of cooperating with the gang and naming Guerrero as a co‑conspirator. The move led to increased collaboration between the U.S. and Venezuela’s new leadership, including lifting sanctions on Vice‑President Delcy Rodríguez.
