US forces have killed Hector "El Niño" Guerrero Flores, the leader and co-founder of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, in a "swift and lethal kinetic strike" conducted at a gang compound in Venezuela, President Donald Trump announced Friday. The operation was carried out in full collaboration with Venezuelan security forces, according to US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who confirmed the joint nature of the strike.
Tren de Aragua was designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States in February 2025. The gang, which originated inside Venezuela's Tocorón Prison, has between 2,500 and 5,000 members and operates through kidnappings, extortion, human trafficking, and drug trafficking across multiple countries. Guerrero Flores had been charged in Manhattan federal court with ordering and facilitating acts of terrorism, and the US State Department had offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture.
Trump confirmed the strike on Truth Social, posting video footage showing a building with a green roof exploding at the compound. The operation marks a significant escalation in US efforts to dismantle transnational criminal organizations and reflects an unusual period of security cooperation between Washington and Caracas.