US Strike Kills Tren de Aragua Leader in Venezuela

President Donald Trump announced Friday that a US military airstrike killed Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, known as Niño Guerrero, the longtime leader of the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua. The operation, carried out by US Southern Command, targeted a site in Venezuela’s southeastern Bolívar state earlier in the week and was conducted with direct Venezuelan government assistance.

Trump described the action on his Truth Social platform as a “swift and lethal kinetic strike” that executed Guerrero, whom he called the leader of one of the world’s most bloodthirsty terrorist organizations. He noted that the strike was coordinated closely with Venezuelan authorities. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed on X that Guerrero was killed in the attack and said the operation reflected shared US and Venezuelan efforts to confront narco-terrorist groups.

Venezuela’s information ministry issued a statement verifying its participation. It said the operation involved intelligence sharing and specialized technological support and that Guerrero was neutralized during clashes with criminal groups in Bolívar state. Venezuelan officials described the effort as a joint operation rather than a unilateral US action.

Tren de Aragua originated inside the Tocorón prison in Aragua state and grew under Guerrero’s control into a transnational network involved in drug trafficking, extortion, human smuggling and money laundering. The group expanded across South America and into the United States, with US authorities estimating several thousand members operating in multiple countries. The State Department designated it a foreign terrorist organization, and the Trump administration has linked it to irregular warfare and cross-border criminal activity.

The strike follows a significant shift in US-Venezuela relations. In January, American forces seized former President Nicolás Maduro from his compound to face criminal charges in New York. Maduro’s successor, Delcy Rodríguez, has since received sanctions relief from Washington as the two governments have increased cooperation on oil extraction and security matters. US officials have indicated that Guerrero was named as a co-conspirator in the indictment against Maduro.

Footage posted by Trump shows an airstrike hitting a green building and adjacent structure, with debris visible after the impact. The administration has not released additional operational details, citing the ongoing campaign against the organization’s leadership.

The episode illustrates the administration’s approach of combining targeted military action with diplomatic engagement in the region. US officials have framed the cooperation with Venezuela as a pragmatic step to reduce safe havens for criminal networks while advancing energy interests. Venezuelan authorities have presented the joint effort as evidence of their commitment to confronting domestic criminal groups.

Further details on the strike’s planning and immediate aftermath remain limited. Both governments have said they will continue sharing intelligence to disrupt remaining Tren de Aragua networks.