Trump: We Got Another One (And This One Is HUGE)

U.S. Announces Strike Targeting Tren de Aragua Leader in Venezuela

On June 13, 2026, President Donald Trump stated that U.S. forces, in coordination with Venezuelan security personnel, conducted a strike that killed Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, also known as Niño Guerrero, identified by U.S. officials as the founder and leader of the criminal organization Tren de Aragua.

Trump posted on Truth Social that the U.S. Southern Command carried out a “swift and lethal kinetic strike” on a compound associated with the group. The post described the target as the leader of “one of the most bloodthirsty Terrorist Organizations on Planet Earth” and referenced prior U.S. designations and border enforcement actions. It also listed specific U.S. criminal cases involving individuals alleged to be members of the organization, including the deaths of Jocelyn Nungaray and Laken Riley.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth posted that the Department of War, in collaboration with Venezuelan security forces, conducted a strike on a Tren de Aragua compound in Venezuela and confirmed the death of Guerrero. U.S. Southern Command Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan issued a statement thanking Venezuelan security forces for support in the operation that resulted in the death of the organization’s leader.

Venezuelan authorities under acting president Delcy Rodríguez participated in the operation, according to the U.S. statements. The target location was reported as a compound in the mining area of Las Claritas in Bolívar state.

Background on the organization’s development was previously documented in U.S. government reports and media accounts. Guerrero was imprisoned at Tocorón Prison in Aragua state beginning around 2014. The State Department has stated that during this period he expanded the group’s control from prison extortion to influence over gold mines in Bolívar state, drug corridors on the Caribbean coast, and certain border crossings with Colombia. Contemporary reporting, including from the BBC, described the prison as having developed amenities such as a zoo, swimming pool, restaurant, and other facilities under inmate control during that time.

By 2018 the organization had expanded into additional South American countries. In 2023 Venezuelan authorities conducted a large-scale operation at the prison involving thousands of personnel. Guerrero was not present at the facility during that operation. The U.S. Department of State and Colombian National Police had offered rewards totaling up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest, with additional rewards for other individuals associated with the group.

Trump’s post noted that the organization had been designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization early in his second term. It also referenced prior U.S. deportation actions and described Venezuelan government involvement in sending members abroad. Nicolás Maduro had previously stated that the organization did not exist as described. The current operation was presented by U.S. officials as coordinated with Venezuelan forces.

Social media posts from individuals in Venezuela and the Venezuelan diaspora expressed support for the reported outcome. Some commentary linked the event to earlier U.S. actions against other high-value targets and speculated about additional figures.

The strike was documented in circulated video footage showing an aerial view of the targeted site. U.S. statements indicated that the operation removed a safe haven for the organization in Venezuela.

Further details on the planning and execution of the strike have not been released by U.S. or Venezuelan authorities as of the date of the announcements.