President Donald Trump said U.S. forces carried out a military strike that killed Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, also known as “Niño Guerrero,” the alleged leader of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua prison gang.
“At my direction, the United States Southern Command delivered a swift and lethal kinetic strike to successfully execute Nino Guerrero, the infamous leader of Tren De Aragua, one of the most bloodthirsty terrorist organizations on planet,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on Friday evening.
A video posted by Trump on Truth Social showed an explosion striking a structure, followed by flames erupting from the site.
President Donald J. Trump has announced on Truth Social that, at his direction, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) has carried out a lethal kinetic strike on Niño Guerrero, the alleged leader of Tren de Argua, in coordination with the Venezuelan authorities. pic.twitter.com/gcKXhm3Viu
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 13, 2026
Trump said the action was coordinated with Venezuela.
“Tren de Aragua terrorists no longer have safe haven in Venezuela or anywhere else and, under my leadership, we will find these vicious murderers and drug lords anytime, anyplace, and send them to the depths of hell where they belong,” he added.
Venezuela’s information ministry said the operation involved clashes with members of criminal groups and that Guerrero was neutralized during the engagement.
Tren de Aragua is a criminal group that started in Tocorón prison in Venezuela and has grown into a network that operates in several countries. It is known for crimes like human trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, drug smuggling, money laundering, and theft.
Authorities say the group takes advantage of migration routes, targeting Venezuelans and other South American migrants traveling toward countries such as Chile and other parts of South America and Europe, often exploiting them for profit or forcing them into illegal work.
The U.S. government described Tren de Aragua as a violent transnational criminal organization. In December, Guerrero, who has also been known as “El Innombrable,” was indicted by a grand jury in New York on charges of ordering, directing and facilitating acts of terrorism and violence in the U.S., according to officials.
