The Tren de Aragua gang, a transnational criminal organization originating in Venezuela, poses a significant threat to the U.S. as President Trump intensifies deportation efforts. Led by Hector Guerrero Flores, the gang has expanded its operations into several countries and engaged in extreme criminal activities. It has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization, highlighting the urgency and severity of its actions.
In September 2023, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro deployed 11,000 soldiers to reclaim Tocorón Prison from the Tren de Aragua gang, which had transformed the facility into an extravagant refuge with various amenities. The gang’s leader, Hector Guerrero Flores, managed to escape during this operation. The Tren de Aragua organization is now a focal point of President Donald Trump’s efforts to deport foreign criminals from the United States, as part of his mass deportation campaign targeting illegal immigrants.
Tren de Aragua began as a prison gang under Hector Guerrero Flores, evolving into a transnational criminal entity, as noted by the U.S. Department of State, which has offered a $5 million reward for information leading to Guerrero Flores’s capture. The 41-year-old criminal had frequently been incarcerated at Tocorón and escaped in 2012 with a bribe. After returning, he transformed the prison and extended the gang’s reach to gold mines, drug trafficking routes, and clandestine border crossings, particularly between Venezuela and Colombia.
The gang’s name, translating to “Train of Aragua,” is believed to be derived from a union of railroad workers that once extorted contractors. Expert Luis Izquiel highlighted the gang’s origins tied to a railway union that exerted control over a segment of the railway in the Aragua region. Under Guerrero Flores’s guidance, Tren de Aragua has expanded into countries such as Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile, engaging in activities like sex trafficking, contract killings, and kidnappings.
While Tren de Aragua is smaller than many Latin American criminal organizations, it is noted for its brutality. Journalist Ronna Rísquez estimates approximately 5,000 members with annual revenues between $10 million to $15 million, yet other estimates suggest a membership closer to 2,500. Tren de Aragua is often compared to the infamous MS-13 gang due to its violent tactics, including a recent kidnapping incident in Chile involving a Venezuelan military officer.
The U.S., under Trump’s administration, has designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization, paralleling it with groups like Islamic State and Boko Haram. Trump accused the gang of waging “irregular warfare” against the U.S. on behalf of President Maduro. Recent arrests have been made in Texas, Florida, New York, and Illinois, where gang members face serious charges ranging from murder to kidnapping. Reports indicate that approximately 600 Venezuelan migrants in the U.S. could have ties to the gang, with about 100 identified as members, amidst a growing population of Venezuelans seeking refuge due to the ongoing crisis in their home country.
The Tren de Aragua gang represents a significant criminal threat that has developed strong international connections and diversified criminal enterprises beyond its origins in Venezuela. With extensive operations expanding throughout South America and its emergence in the United States, the group is a key focus of law enforcement and governmental efforts to combat transnational crime and safeguard national security. President Trump’s strong stance on the gang reflects the urgent need to address its criminal activities and mitigate the dangers they pose both locally and internationally.
Original Source: www.bbc.com
