United States President Donald Trump has announced that American forces carried out a military strike that killed Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, widely known as “Niño Guerrero,” the leader of Venezuela’s criminal network Tren de Aragua.
Trump made the announcement on Friday via his Truth Social platform, describing the operation as a “swift and lethal kinetic strike” carried out by U.S. Southern Command.
He said the mission was conducted under his directive and targeted one of the “most bloodthirsty terrorist organisations on Earth.” 
He also stated that the operation was coordinated with Venezuelan authorities, adding that both countries were working closely on security matters.
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the strike, saying it took place earlier in the week and that Guerrero had been verified dead following the operation. Venezuelan officials also acknowledged a joint security operation in which Guerrero was killed. 
Guerrero, long considered one of Latin America’s most wanted fugitives, was the alleged leader of Tren de Aragua, a powerful transnational criminal group linked to drug trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, money laundering, and human smuggling across several countries.
The U.S. government had previously designated the group as a foreign terrorist organisation and accused it of expanding its operations across the Americas.
Trump has repeatedly blamed the organisation for violence across the region and said his administration would continue targeting its members “anytime, anywhere.”
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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