United States President Donald Trump has announced the death of Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, better known as “Niño Guerrero,” one of the most wanted leaders of the notorious Tren de Aragua criminal network.
Trump disclosed the development on Friday, describing it as the outcome of a “swift and lethal” military operation carried out with the support of Venezuelan authorities.
The operation targeted a compound linked to the gang and was reportedly conducted earlier this week. Trump shared footage showing a massive explosion engulfing a building, saying the mission was carried out in close coordination with Venezuelan security agencies.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth later confirmed that the strike was executed by the US Southern Command in partnership with Venezuelan forces.
Venezuela’s government also acknowledged the operation, saying intelligence sharing and technical support from both countries contributed to its success. Authorities said armed clashes broke out during the mission, leading to Guerrero’s death.
Guerrero was widely regarded as the driving force behind Tren de Aragua’s transformation from a prison-based gang in Venezuela into one of the most feared transnational criminal organisations in the Americas.
The gang, which originated inside Venezuela’s Tocorón prison, expanded its activities across several Latin American countries, including Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Chile, while also establishing a presence in parts of the United States and Europe.
US authorities had long sought Guerrero’s capture. In late 2024, the State Department offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest.
Federal prosecutors in New York later accused him of directing and facilitating terrorist activities linked to the gang, describing him as the architect of Tren de Aragua’s expansion beyond Venezuela’s borders.
Tren de Aragua has been linked to a range of crimes, including human trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, money laundering and drug smuggling.
The group became a major target of the Trump administration after it was designated a foreign terrorist organisation earlier this year. Since then, Washington has intensified operations against suspected members and networks associated with the gang.
Reacting to Guerrero’s death, Venezuelan authorities reaffirmed their commitment to dismantling organised crime groups operating within the country.
His killing marks one of the most significant blows yet against Tren de Aragua, a group security experts have described as one of the most disruptive criminal organisations in Latin America.
