President Donald Trump announced on Friday night that a US military strike killed Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, also known as “Niño Guerrero,” the leader of the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua (TdA).
Guerrero Flores had previously been charged in federal court in New York with racketeering conspiracy and other offenses. He has been described as a key figure in the expansion of TdA into a transnational criminal organization.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he directed US Southern Command to carry out a “swift and lethal kinetic strike” against Guerrero Flores.
“At my direction, the United States Southern Command delivered a swift and lethal kinetic strike to successfully execute Niño Guerrero, the infamous leader of Tren De Aragua, one of the most bloodthirsty Terrorist Organizations on Planet Earth,” Trump wrote. “Before I returned to office, Joe Biden opened our Southern Border to millions of Illegal Criminals, and allowed this foreign army to rape, maim, and murder American Citizens with total impunity.”
“During my Campaign, I pledged to expel these monsters from our Country, and bring Justice to the families of those they slaughtered, including the precious 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, 22-year-old Laken Reilly, and countless other beautiful souls,” he continued. “With this action, the United States Military has brought retribution for them, their families, and their loved ones. Early in my Administration, I delivered on my promise to designate Tren de Aragua as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, deport thousands of evil criminals, and wage war against the Cartels, who have long been waging war against our Citizens, while weak leaders left America helpless and defensive.”
Trump also said that the operation was coordinated closely with Venezuela, adding that under the Trump administration, the US will “find these vicious murderers and drugs lords anytime, anyplace, and send them to the depths of hell where they belong.
TdA has been designated by a terrorist organization under the Trump administration. The US State Department had also previously offered rewards of up to $5 million for information leading to Guerrero Flores’ arrest or conviction.
Secretary of War Pete Heseth said in a post on X that the Department of War had carried out a strike in collaboration with Venezuelan forces on a TdA compound where Guerrero Flores was killed.
“The operation underscores the shared U.S. and Venezuelan commitment to take the fight to narco-terrorists and deny them any safe haven in our hemisphere. We will continue to work closely with security partners, like Venezuela — and counties in the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (A3C) partners — to take the fight to our enemies,” Hegseth said.
Guerrero Flores had previously been charged in federal court in New York with racketeering conspiracy and other offenses. He has been described as a key figure in the expansion of TdA into a transnational criminal organization.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he directed US Southern Command to carry out a “swift and lethal kinetic strike” against Guerrero Flores.
“At my direction, the United States Southern Command delivered a swift and lethal kinetic strike to successfully execute Niño Guerrero, the infamous leader of Tren De Aragua, one of the most bloodthirsty Terrorist Organizations on Planet Earth,” Trump wrote. “Before I returned to office, Joe Biden opened our Southern Border to millions of Illegal Criminals, and allowed this foreign army to rape, maim, and murder American Citizens with total impunity.”
“During my Campaign, I pledged to expel these monsters from our Country, and bring Justice to the families of those they slaughtered, including the precious 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, 22-year-old Laken Reilly, and countless other beautiful souls,” he continued. “With this action, the United States Military has brought retribution for them, their families, and their loved ones. Early in my Administration, I delivered on my promise to designate Tren de Aragua as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, deport thousands of evil criminals, and wage war against the Cartels, who have long been waging war against our Citizens, while weak leaders left America helpless and defensive.”
Trump also said that the operation was coordinated closely with Venezuela, adding that under the Trump administration, the US will “find these vicious murderers and drugs lords anytime, anyplace, and send them to the depths of hell where they belong.
TdA has been designated by a terrorist organization under the Trump administration. The US State Department had also previously offered rewards of up to $5 million for information leading to Guerrero Flores’ arrest or conviction.
Secretary of War Pete Heseth said in a post on X that the Department of War had carried out a strike in collaboration with Venezuelan forces on a TdA compound where Guerrero Flores was killed.
“The operation underscores the shared U.S. and Venezuelan commitment to take the fight to narco-terrorists and deny them any safe haven in our hemisphere. We will continue to work closely with security partners, like Venezuela — and counties in the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (A3C) partners — to take the fight to our enemies,” Hegseth said.
