Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang that evolved from a prison organization to a vast criminal network under the leadership of Hector Guerrero Flores, is now in the sights of the US government, facing scrutiny amid accusations of involvement in violent crimes and threats to national security.
Understanding Tren de Aragua: The Venezuelan Gang Under US Scrutiny
Understanding Tren de Aragua: The Venezuelan Gang Under US Scrutiny
The Tren de Aragua gang has gained international attention following its expansion across Latin America and its connections to crimes in the US.
In September 2023, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro dispatched 11,000 soldiers to reclaim control of Tocorón Prison in the Aragua state, which had been overtaken by the Tren de Aragua gang. Rather than suppress a riot, the military operation aimed to dismantle what had become a gang-run resort, complete with a zoo, restaurants, and even a nightclub. Amid the chaos, the gang's leader, Hector Guerrero Flores, managed to escape.
Tren de Aragua, identified as a significant threat by US authorities, has gained prominence as part of former President Donald Trump's aggressive approach to deporting foreign criminals and illegal immigrants. The US State Department characterizes the gang as a "transnational criminal organization" and has placed a bounty of $5 million on Guerrero Flores's capture.
Initially a prison gang, Tren de Aragua was transformed into a sprawling criminal network by its leader, who spent years inside and outside of Tocorón. After escaping in 2012, Guerrero Flores effectively transformed the prison into a recreational hub while expanding the gang's influence beyond its walls. The gang now controls parts of the gold mining industry and drug trafficking routes in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile.
Scholars, including criminology professor Luis Izquiel, trace the gang's origins to a railroad union known for extorting workers in Aragua. The gang has since diversified, engaging in sex trafficking, kidnapping, and contract killings, amassing an estimated 5,000 members with annual profits ranging from $10 million to $15 million.
While smaller than more notorious groups like MS-13 or the Sinaloa Cartel, Tren de Aragua is increasingly regarded as a violent and effective organization that wields considerable power. In fact, members have been implicated in high-profile kidnappings, including that of a Venezuelan military officer whose body was discovered in Chile.
US officials, during Trump's administration, designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization, equating it with groups like Islamic State and Boko Haram. The gang is particularly viewed as a potential threat to the United States, with claims of its members engaging in activities in Texas, Florida, New York, and Illinois. Reports from the Department of Homeland Security indicate that approximately 600 Venezuelan migrants in the US might be affiliated with the gang, with an estimated 100 being active members.
Despite the hurdles facing the gang due to the enhanced attention from US law enforcement, Tren de Aragua continues to navigate through Latin America and the US, taking advantage of established smuggling routes and networks. As of 2023, there were around 770,000 Venezuelans living in the US, many under protection from deportation, thus complicating the landscape for both the gang and those aiming to combat organized crime.
