06/13/2026
đ´ BREAKING: Trump Announces U.S. Strike Killed Tren de Aragua Leader âNiĂąo Guerreroâ!
đWashington, D.C. | June 12, 2026 | HewadPress
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Friday that American forces carried out a military operation that killed HĂŠctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, better known as âNiĂąo Guerrero,â the alleged leader of the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua (TdA), which the United States has designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump said the operation was conducted by U.S. Southern Command at his direction and described it as a âswift and lethal kinetic strike.â He claimed the action was closely coordinated with authorities in Venezuela and said the operation eliminated one of the most wanted criminal figures in the Western Hemisphere.
âTren de Aragua terrorists no longer have safe haven in Venezuela or anywhere else,â Trump wrote, pledging that the United States would continue pursuing cartel leaders and transnational criminal organizations. The president also linked the operation to his administrationâs broader campaign against drug trafficking, organized crime, and illegal immigration.
NiĂąo Guerrero had been one of the most sought-after criminal figures in Latin America. U.S. authorities previously sanctioned him and accused him of transforming Tren de Aragua from a prison-based gang into a powerful transnational criminal network involved in drug trafficking, extortion, human trafficking, kidnappings, and contract killings across multiple countries.
The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Guerrero in 2025, while federal prosecutors later charged him with racketeering, terrorism-related offenses, and drug trafficking crimes. The U.S. government had also offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest.
According to Reuters, Pentagon officials had earlier confirmed the operation, and the strike was reportedly coordinated with Venezuelan authorities. Venezuelaâs government had not immediately issued a public response following Trumpâs announcement.
Tren de Aragua, which originated in Venezuelaâs TocorĂłn prison system, has expanded its operations across Latin America and beyond, becoming one of the regionâs most notorious criminal organizations. U.S. officials have repeatedly cited the group as a major security threat due to its involvement in organized crime networks spanning several countries.
The reported killing of NiĂąo Guerrero marks one of the most significant operations conducted against the organizationâs leadership and is expected to have major implications for ongoing U.S. and regional efforts to combat transnational criminal groups.