Trump claims U.S. killed notorious Venezuelan gang leader

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that the United States has killed Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, known as Niño Guerrero, the leader of the infamous Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Trump claimed the operation was a joint effort coordinated with Venezuelan authorities and accompanied his announcement with a video showing a building being blown up.

However, the death has not been independently confirmed by other sources, including the Venezuelan government, according to Reuters. Trump did not specify when the strike took place. Niño Guerrero led the Tren de Aragua, a criminal organization that has expanded into several Latin American countries and is regarded as one of the region's most dangerous.

The U.S. has designated Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization. The Trump administration previously imposed sanctions on the gang's leaders, accusing them of drug trafficking, human trafficking, and money laundering. Trump has alleged that the gang coordinates its activities in the U.S. with the administration of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Maduro served as Venezuela's president from 2013 until earlier this year. In early January, the U.S. apprehended Maduro and brought him to the United States to face charges, including drug trafficking.

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The United States has killed the leader of the notorious criminal gang Niño Guerrero, whose real name is Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores.