US strike kills Tren de Aragua leader in Venezuela

President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces conducted a "swift and lethal kinetic" strike that killed Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, whom he described as the "infamous leader" of the Tren de Aragua gang. The United States has labeled Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization. Guerrero Flores had been charged in a New York federal court with racketeering conspiracy and other crimes, including lending support to terrorists over more than a decade.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed on X that the strike occurred earlier in the week on a Tren de Aragua compound in Venezuela. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton stated at the time that the gang is responsible for numerous acts of violence, extortion, and drug trafficking across North America, South America, and Europe. Trump had nominated Clayton for director of national intelligence the previous day. The U.S. State Department had previously offered rewards of up to $5 million for information leading to Guerrero Flores’ arrest.

In a social media post, Trump wrote that "Tren de Aragua terrorists no longer have safe haven in Venezuela or anywhere else." He also shared unclassified video of a building exploding. Hegseth stated the operation highlights the "shared U.S. and Venezuelan commitment to take the fight to narco-terrorists and deny them any safe haven in our hemisphere."

Venezuela's government released a statement confirming its participation in the operation, which took place in the southeastern state of Bolivar. The statement indicated that clashes with criminal groups during the operation resulted in the death of Guerrero Flores, also known by his alias 'Niño Guerrero.' The mineral-rich state of Bolivar borders Brazil and Guyana and is known for large illegal mining operations often controlled by gangs and other actors who operate with the consent and benefit of officials and the military. The Trump administration has previously conducted strikes on boats it accused of smuggling drugs to America, resulting in at least 207 deaths since early September.