U.S. military kills Venezuelan gang leader, Trump says

2026-06-13

U.S. military strikes base

U.S. President Donald Trump said on the 12th on social media that a U.S. military attack killed Hector Guerrero, the leader of Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua. According to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the operation, coordinated with Venezuelan security forces, targeted the group's base in the country.

Drug crackdown steps up

Guerrero had been indicted in the United States. The Trump administration has described the influx of illegal drugs into the U.S. as a 'survival threat' and has vowed to dismantle drug cartels across the Western Hemisphere. The U.S. State Department designated Tren de Aragua a 'foreign terrorist organization' in February 2025.

Attacks on smuggling boats continue

The U.S. military has also repeatedly struck so-called 'drug smuggling boats' that the group is believed to operate since autumn 2025.

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