President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. Southern Command carried out a military strike killing Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, known as “Niño Guerrero,” alleged leader of Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua.
In the statement to Truth Social, Trump described the operation as a “swift and lethal kinetic strike” and characterized Tren de Aragua as one of the world’s most "bloodthirsty" terrorist organizations. He said the action seemingly fulfilled a campaign promise to combat transnational criminal groups and seek justice for victims of crimes attributed to the gang, citing several high-profile cases that became central to his administration’s immigration and public safety messaging like the murder of Laken Reilly.
Trump said the strike was conducted with cooperation from Venezuelan authorities.
What To Know
The statement also tied the operation to broader administration policies on border security, immigration enforcement and efforts to dismantle criminal cartels and gangs operating across the Americas.
Trump criticized former President Joe Biden’s border policies, arguing that they allowed "Illegal Criminals" to harm Americans. He further claimed that Tren de Aragua no longer has a safe haven in Venezuela and pledged continued action against the organization.
Trump's post included an unclassified video of a building with a green roof, showing an object on the left side strike the building before it burst into flames, with a cloud of smoke rising.
This is a developing story that will be updated with additional information.


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