Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang, has evolved from a prison gang into a transnational organization under Hector Guerrero Flores. With involvement in various criminal activities and reports of connections to the U.S., former President Trump has labeled the group a foreign terrorist organization. Recent arrests indicate a notable threat level, especially among Venezuelan migrants.
In September 2023, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro deployed 11,000 soldiers to retake control of Tocorón Prison from Tren de Aragua, a notorious criminal gang. The prison had become a resort-like facility under the gang’s influence, featuring amenities such as a zoo and nightclub. Despite efforts to regain control, gang leader Hector Guerrero Flores managed to escape during the operation.
Tren de Aragua evolved from a prison gang into a significant transnational criminal organization under Guerrero Flores. The U.S. State Department has placed a $5 million bounty on his capture, citing his role in expanding criminal operations beyond prisons. Guerrero’s history includes multiple escapes, and upon returning to Toucorón, he transformed it into a complex leisure center while also extending the gang’s reach to gold mines and drug trafficking routes in Colombia.
This criminal organization, whose name translates to “Train of Aragua,” originated from a railroad workers’ union in the Aragua region. It started by extorting workers and has since grown into activities related to sex trafficking, contract killings, and kidnapping. Today, Tren de Aragua is estimated to have around 5,000 members, with operations extending into eight countries, including the U.S.
Ronna Rísquez, noted for her work on the gang, estimates their profits to be between $10 million and $15 million annually. Though they are smaller compared to other Latin American gangs, Tren de Aragua is often mentioned alongside brutal groups like MS-13. They have recently been implicated in serious crimes, including the abduction and murder of individuals like a Venezuelan military officer in Chile.
Former President Trump has focused attention on Tren de Aragua, citing threats they pose to U.S. territory. He labeled the group a foreign terrorist organization, comparable to Islamic State, and accused them of irregular warfare orchestrated by Maduro. Recent arrests in various U.S. states linked to the gang have raised alarms, with estimates of 600 Venezuelans in the U.S. having connections to Tren de Aragua, of which 100 are believed to be members.
Tren de Aragua represents a growing threat, expanding its criminal activities from Venezuela to multiple countries including the U.S. Despite being relatively smaller than other gangs, their operations involve serious crimes and they have garnered international attention from leaders like Trump. The gang’s evolution, the involvement of figureheads, and the recent criminal activities underscore a significant security concern, especially regarding the Venezuelan diaspora in the U.S. as more connections and members are identified.
Original Source: www.bbc.com
