On Friday night, Donald Trump announced that the United States, along with our "friends in Venezuela," took out another very, very bad guy. This one is a big one.  

Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, aka Niño Guerrero, was the kingpin of Tren de Aragua (TdA). He started out as a local thug, with a rap sheet full of homicides, robberies, and other crimes, but he turned a stint in prison into one of the biggest criminal organizations in the world. Here's what I wrote about him in April 2025: 

But TdA actually dates all the way back to 2014 when a man named Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, aka Niño Guerrero, was locked up at Tocorón Prison, which is located in the Aragua state of Venezuela. According to the State Department, 'During his time there, Guerrero expanded the influence of Tren de Aragua from extorting prison inmates and bribing prison guards to assuming the overall control of the Tocorón prison as well as the control of gold mines in Bolivar State, drug corridors on the Caribbean coast, as well as control of some of the clandestine border crossings between Venezuela and Colombia.'

The BBC reported that because of Guerrero's growing power, the jail essentially turned into a luxury resort and included a zoo, nightclub, and swimming pool. 'Families of inmates moved into the compound. Inmates had access to a makeshift bank, a betting shop, a restaurant, and a baseball diamond, while their children could marvel at flamingos and ostriches in the animal enclosure.' Meanwhile, Guerrero came and went as he pleased, reportedly living 'like a king.' He had his own floor in the prison, complete with personal bodyguards. He also had no major rivals or opposition, which helped him grow TdA throughout Venezuela. It eventually made its way to the Colombian border. By 2018, it was spreading through other South American countries, including Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia, and Brazil. 

Leaders in these countries reportedly put pressure on Venezuela to shut it down. In 2023, the country's government reportedly sent 11,000 soldiers and police into the prison to take control and after the fact, they claimed it went off without a hitch. However, Guerrero, who is currently 41 years old, wasn't there — though it took Venezuela some time to make this information public — and a manhunt began across numerous South American countries. As of last summer, the State Department, in conjunction with Colombian National Police, have offered up to a $5 million reward for information leading to Guerrero's arrest, as well as an additional $7 million for the arrest of two other TdA leaders.  

Just in case you need a refresher, Nicolás Maduro claimed TdA didn't exist, but the reality is that he was using the members as his own henchmen, sending them to the United States and other countries to wreak havoc and even reportedly having them kill some of his enemies. Joe Biden's open-border policies played right into the Maduro regime's hands, while Trump and Marco Rubio designated TdA as a Foreign Terrorist Organization almost immediately when Trump began his second term. 

The fact that our "friends in Venezuela" played a role in this (and let's face it, they — and by "they" I mean "acting president" Delcy Rodríguez — really didn't have a choice but to play ball) is an incredible turn of events from what was going on in that country just five or six months ago. Anyway, I won't rehash the whole TdA story, but you can read more about it here: The Truth Behind Tren de Aragua.

So what happened exactly? Here's what Trump posted on Truth Social:  

At my direction, the United States Southern Command delivered a swift and lethal kinetic strike to successfully execute Niño Guerrero, the infamous leader of Tren De Aragua, one of the most bloodthirsty Terrorist Organizations on Planet Earth. 

Before I returned to office, Joe Biden opened our Southern Border to millions of Illegal Criminals, and allowed this foreign army to rape, maim, and murder American Citizens with total impunity. During my Campaign, I pledged to expel these monsters from our Country, and bring Justice to the families of those they slaughtered, including the precious 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, 22-year-old Laken Reilly, and countless other beautiful souls. 

With this action, the United States Military has brought retribution for them, their families, and their loved ones. Early in my Administration, I delivered on my promise to designate Tren de Aragua as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, deport thousands of evil criminals, and wage war against the Cartels, who have long been waging war against our Citizens, while weak leaders left America helpless and defensive. 

This action was coordinated closely with our friends in Venezuela, with whom we are working very well. As a result, Tren de Aragua terrorists no longer have safe haven in Venezuela or anywhere else and, under my leadership, we will find these vicious murderers and drugs lords anytime, anyplace, and send them to the depths of hell where they belong. GOD BLESS AMERICA! President DONALD J. TRUMP

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also confirmed the news that Guerrero was killed: 

As did SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan: 

And here's the drone video of the strike:  

Guerrero was reportedly hiding out in Bolívar state, specifically the mining area around Las Claritas at a TdA compound. I can't express what a big blow this was to TdA, and to organized crime and drug trafficking in the Western Hemisphere in general. 

I'm sure the lefties in the U.S. will be besides themselves over it, but if my social media and communication with my Venezuelan contacts are any indication, most of the sane people in Venezuela, in Latin America, and in the United States are celebrating this almost as much as they did the capture of Maduro in January. 

They just want to know if Diosdado Cabello is next. Let's hope. 

Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump and his administration’s bold leadership, we are respected on the world stage, and our enemies are being put on notice.

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