The Venezuelan government has confirmed the death of Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, widely known as “Niño Guerrero,” the leader of the notorious Tren de Aragua criminal organisation, following a joint operation carried out with the United States.
In a statement issued by Venezuela’s Ministry of Communications late Friday, authorities disclosed that Guerrero was killed during armed confrontations involving members of the criminal network.
“There were clashes with members of these criminal structures, in which Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, alias ‘Nino Guerrero,’ was neutralized,” the ministry stated.
The confirmation came shortly after US President Donald Trump announced that American forces had conducted a deadly strike targeting the gang leader.
Guerrero was regarded as the head of Tren de Aragua, a transnational criminal organisation that originated in Venezuela and has expanded its activities across several countries in Latin America. The group has been linked to a range of criminal activities, including kidnapping, extortion, human trafficking, drug-related crimes and other organised criminal operations.
The operation marks a significant development in efforts to dismantle the gang’s leadership structure and curb its influence across the region.
Further details surrounding the operation and the circumstances leading to Guerrero’s death have yet to be officially disclosed by either government.
