Who is Tren de Aragua Leader 'Niño Guerrero' Donald Trump is Sanctioning?

Newsweek

17-07-2025

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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The United States Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on Thursday against Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, also known as "Niño Guerrero," along with five other key leaders and affiliates of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pledged to continue to dedicate his department to "dismantling Tren de Aragua and disrupting the group's campaign of violence."
When asked for further comment or clarification, a Treasury spokesman directed Newsweek to a department FAQ on the topic. The Treasury department rarely explains the parameters of such matters due to concerns that it could tip off the target of sanctions and give them time to move assets or funds and avoid punishment.
A Department of the Treasury sign is displayed outside the Denver Mint, a branch of the United States Mint on March 20, 2025, in Denver, Colorado. INSET: Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores (a.k.a. 'Niño Guerrero') is...
A Department of the Treasury sign is displayed outside the Denver Mint, a branch of the United States Mint on March 20, 2025, in Denver, Colorado. INSET: Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores (a.k.a. 'Niño Guerrero') is the notorious head of Tren de Aragua. More// Treasury Department Handout
Why It Matters
The sanctions against Guerrero Flores and Tren de Aragua's (TdA) leadership show the U.S. government's continued dedication to limiting the gang's activity, which includes extortion, sexual exploitation, smuggling, and armed violence.
The U.S. government designated the group as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) in February 2025, and President Donald Trump highlighted the group as a significant factor in his decision to increase the scale and severity of his immigration crackdown.
Designating TdA as a terrorist organization and freezing its leaders' assets are intended to disrupt its financial networks and operational reach.
What to Know
The OFAC identified Flores as the head of the organization, which has evolved from a prison-based gang to a transnational criminal group operating across the Western Hemisphere. The State Department designations of TdA as an FTO and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group expanded the legal authorities used to disrupt the group's operations in the United States and abroad.
President Trump has accused Tren de Aragua of coordinating its U.S. operations with the Venezuelan government under President Nicolás Maduro, a claim that one senior U.S. official has pushed back on, saying Maduro's direct involvement with the gang remains unproven, according to Reuters.
Flores, also known as Niño Guerrero, has been involved with the gang for over two decades. The State Department in 2024 offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to Flores's arrest or conviction.
Under his leadership, TdA grew to become the international threat that the U.S. calls an "influential organization that threatens public safety throughout the Western Hemisphere." This includes mining operations that help fund the group's activities and the importation of military-grade weapons used to establish control of territory and combat Colombian guerrillas, according to the Treasury Department.
Guerrero is specifically alleged to have seized control of gold mines, drug trafficking routes, and border crossings, building links with local criminal entities in countries such as Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, and, according to U.S. officials, the United States, the BBC reported.
The sanctions announced on Thursday allow the U.S. to seize all property and interests in property of the designated persons that are in the United States or controlled by U.S. entities.
Americans are prohibited from engaging in almost any transaction involving the subject of sanctions or their assets unless specifically permitted by OFAC. Violations may result in substantial civil or criminal penalties, the Treasury said in its press release.
What People Are Saying
Scott Bessent, Secretary of the Treasury, in a statement: "Today's action highlights the critical role of leaders like Niño Guerrero and his lieutenants in Tren de Aragua's efforts to increase its destabilizing influence throughout the region."
President Donald Trump in a Truth Social post from February: "It is so good to have the Venezuela Hostages back home and, very important to note, that Venezuela has agreed to receive, back into their Country, all Venezuela illegal aliens who were encamped in the U.S., including gang members of Tren de Aragua. Venezuela has further agreed to supply the transportation back. We are in the process of removing record numbers of illegal aliens from all Countries, and all Countries have agreed to accept these illegal aliens back. Furthermore, record numbers of criminals are being removed from our Country, and the Border numbers are the strongest they have been since the First Term of the Trump Administration!"
What Happens Next
The State Department continues to offer multi-million-dollar rewards for information leading to the capture of the gang's leaders as international law enforcement cooperation intensifies.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.