Niño Guerrero, leader of 'world's most bloodthirsty' terror outfit, killed in US strikes in Venezuela: Trump
United States President Donald Trump said on Saturday morning that the US armed forces executed Niño Guerrero, the “infamous leader” of Tren De Aragua, a crime syndicate in Venezuela, which Trump called “one of the most bloodthirsty terrorist organizations on planet Earth”.
The US President said that Niño Guerrero was killed in a kinetic strike carried out by the United States Southern Command on his orders. He also shared a classified video of the strike in a post on Truth Social, showing a seemingly green rooftop exploding into a cloud of smoke and debris after being hit.
“At my direction, the United States Southern Command delivered a swift and lethal kinetic strike to successfully execute Niño Guerrero, the infamous leader of Tren De Aragua, one of the most bloodthirsty Terrorist Organizations on Planet Earth,” Trump wrote in a lengthy post on Truth Social.
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The US President sought to attack his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden for opening southern border for to “millions of illegal criminals” following which, he claimed, that members of Tren De Aragua to “rape, maim, and murder American citizens with total impunity”.
Trump said that the killing of the “foreign army’s” leader brought retribution for the families of the victims of the violence inflicted by the organisation.
“During my Campaign, I pledged to expel these monsters from our Country, and bring Justice to the families of those they slaughtered, including the precious 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, 22-year-old Laken Reilly, and countless other beautiful souls. With this action, the United States Military has brought retribution for them, their families, and their loved ones,” he wrote.
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‘In close coordination with friends in Venezuela’
Trump said that he designated Tren de Aragua a “foreign terrorist organisation” earlier during his term and highlighted his crackdown on undocumented immigrants, saying that he deported “thousands of evil criminals” and also “waged war” against cartels.
The US President said that the operation was carried out in coordination with their “friends” in Venezuela and that now, the members of Tren de Aragua have no safe haven any longer in Venezuela or anywhere else.
“Early in my Administration, I delivered on my promise to designate Tren de Aragua as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, deport thousands of evil criminals, and wage war against the Cartels, who have long been waging war against our Citizens, while weak leaders left America helpless and defensive,” Trump wrote.
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“This action was coordinated closely with our friends in Venezuela, with whom we are working very well. As a result, 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 drugs lords anytime, anyplace, and send them to the depths of hell where they belong,” he added.
This action comes after the US forces carried out a major operation in Venezuela in January this year and captured the country’s President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who are now facing charges in the US. Later, Maduro’s Vice President Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as interim President of Venezuela and the current government is more or less working in coordination with the Trump administration.
Who are the victims mentioned by Trump?
In the post declaring the US strikes on Tren de Aragua, Trump mentioned names of two victims, 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray and 22-year-old Laken Reilly, whom he said were “slaughtered” by the members of the organisation.
In 2024, Jocelyn Nungaray walked into a convenience store in Houston before disappearing. She was found dead in a creek later. Two undocumented men from Venezuela were held on charges of her murder. The girl was strangled to death, according to medical examiner, reported Associated Press. Both the accused were from Venezuela and had entered the US illegally, a spokesperson for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement told CNN.
Laken Reily, 22, a Georgia nursing student at Augusta University, was found dead in 2024 in a forested area near her campus where she had gone for a run, according to a report by the New York Post. A 26-year-old man who was believed to have entered the US illegally was charged for her murder.