US forces kill 'Niño Guerrero,' leader of Venezuela's Tren de Aragua

Héctor Guerrero Flores, the notorious leader of the Tren de Aragua criminal organization, known as "Niño Guerrero," has been killed in Venezuela. U.S. President Donald Trump announced the operation, stating that U.S. Southern Command forces eliminated him in a "swift and lethal strike" coordinated with the Venezuelan government.

The Venezuelan Ministry of Communication and Information confirmed that Guerrero Flores was "eliminated" during armed confrontations that also led to the dismantling of organized crime structures in the southeastern part of the country. This operation targeted a zone identified as a corridor for illicit activities linked to criminal networks.

Guerrero Flores, who grew up in Maracay, Venezuela, began his criminal career around 2000. He was first imprisoned in 2010 for drug trafficking, robbery, and homicide, and was ordered to serve his sentence at Tocorón prison, a key site for the Tren de Aragua's formation and expansion. He escaped from Tocorón two years later but was recaptured in 2013, facing additional charges including possession of war weapons and identity theft.

Sentenced in 2018 to 17 years in prison, Guerrero Flores escaped again before serving a third of his sentence. Under his leadership, the Tren de Aragua, which originated as a gang within Tocorón prison, expanded its operations beyond Venezuela to countries including Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Brazil, and Panama. The organization's power grew significantly due to the specific conditions within the Tocorón facility.

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During the deployment, armed confrontations occurred in which Guerrero Flores, alias "Niño Guerrero," was eliminated.