On Friday, June 12, 2026, former US President Donald Trump claimed that US military forces carried out a lethal strike against Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, known as “Niño Guerrero,” the leader of the Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua. The organization is designated by the US government as a foreign terrorist group.

Trump shared the announcement on his social media platform Truth Social, describing the operation as a “quick and lethal” attack executed by the US Southern Command. However, no official details have been released about the exact location or circumstances of the strike.

Accompanying Trump’s message was a 10-second video showing an aerial view of a building surrounded by vegetation, followed by an explosion and a cloud of smoke. No individuals are clearly visible in the footage.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth confirmed on X that the attack took place earlier this week and that Guerrero died during the operation. Venezuelan sources reportedly confirmed Guerrero was killed on Venezuelan soil, though US authorities have not provided a detailed account.

Trump emphasized that the operation was conducted “in close cooperation with our friends in Venezuela, with whom we are working very well.”

The US State Department has officially labeled Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization. Guerrero was considered the gang’s top leader and one of the most wanted criminals in the Americas. The US Treasury sanctioned him in 2025, accusing him of transforming a prison gang into a transnational criminal network active across the Western Hemisphere.

Federal prosecutors in New York charged Guerrero with conspiracy, terrorism, drug trafficking, and firearms offenses, alleging he led a criminal network operating in the Americas, Europe, and the US.

This development highlights ongoing US efforts to combat organized crime and terrorism in Latin America, a region where complex social and political challenges persist. For migrants and international residents connected to Venezuela and the Americas, such operations reflect the high stakes involved in regional security and the fight against transnational criminal groups.