Venezuelan Tren de Aragua member extradited from Colombia to Chile for murder cases

Chilean authorities have secured the extradition of Dayonis Junior Orozco Castillo from Colombia, a key figure linked to the violent Tren de Aragua criminal organization. Orozco, also known as 'Botija,' arrived in Chile to face judicial proceedings connecting him to the 2024 murders of former Venezuelan military officer Ronald Ojeda and Chilean police officer Emmanuel Sánchez.

Orozco's arrest in Colombia in April followed his escape from Chile, with prior stops in Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador. His extradition comes as the Public Ministry prepares to try about twenty individuals for criminal association, all members of the Tren de Aragua cell "Los Piratas." Chilean prosecutors have consistently maintained that Ojeda's murder had a "political motive," and efforts are underway to interrogate former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro.

Beyond the Ojeda case, Orozco is accused of directly participating in two homicides of Tren de Aragua members who acted without authorization in late 2023. He is also identified as the perpetrator of the shooting that killed Carabineros officer Emmanuel Sánchez. This extradition follows closely on the heels of U.S. authorization to extract Rafael Enrique Gámez Salas, alias “El Turko,” believed to be the intellectual author of Ojeda's murder, and the confirmed extradition from Colombia of Larry Amaury Álvarez Núñez, alias "Larry Changa," a founder of the criminal group.

Chilean prosecutor Héctor Barros expressed optimism about the pace of extraditions, stating, "The extraditions have been happening much more quickly than we even thought, and faster, so we believe that during this year we should have all those who are detained in the process of extradition available to the Prosecutor's Office." The Tren de Aragua, originating in Venezuelan prisons, has expanded its operations across South America, including Chile, where it is accused of drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, and homicide, often exploiting migrant flows.

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The extraditions have been happening much more quickly than we even thought, and faster, so we believe that during this year we should have all those who are detained in process of extradition available to the Prosecutor's Office.