The announcement by the president of the United States, Donald Trump, about the death of Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, alias ‘Niño Guerrero’, top boss of the ‘Aragua Train’marks a new chapter in the offensive that Washington has been developing against transnational criminal structures with presence in Venezuelan territory.
Trump assured that the operation was executed by the United States Southern Command and that had coordination of Venezuelan authorities. Although no details have been revealed so far about the exact location where the attack occurred, the action confirms that the main criminal leaders settled in Venezuela have become priority objectives for the United States.
The operation occurs five months after the capture of Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, an event that modified the regional security panorama and opened the door to a greater presence of US agencies in Venezuela. Since then, various intelligence sources have warned of a strategy aimed at dismantling criminal networks, illegal economies and armed groups that They operate from Venezuelan territory.
The United States kills Niño Guerrero, top leader of the Aragua Train. Photo:Private file
In that context, the elimination of ‘Warrior Boy’ is observed by Colombian security agencies as a signal to other criminal leaders who remain on the other side of the border. Sources consulted by EL TIEMPO indicated that there is concern about the possible impact that this policy may have on leaders of the National Liberation Army and the dissidents of the ‘Second Marquetalia’several of which have been located in recent years in Venezuelan territory.
The concern increases because intelligence reports known in recent weeks indicate that some of the top leaders of the ELN would have begun movements towards jungle areas of the Amazonas statea region that has historically served as corridor for illegal economies and mobility routes for armed groups. At the same time, Venezuelan authorities advance operations against illegal mining in the Orinoco Mining Arca territory where criminal organizations, guerrilla structures and networks dedicated to illegal gold extraction come together.
The leader of the Aragua Train is being held in a prison in Venezuela. Photo:Private file
Precisely in that region a part of the financial structure of the ‘Aragua Train’. Documents from the United States Department of the Treasury identified Yohan José Romero, alias ‘Johan Petrica’one of the founders of the organizationas responsible for illegal mining activities and the supply of weapons for the criminal structure.
Washington maintained rewards and sanctions against several members of the close circle of ‘Niño Guerrero’which shows that the pressure was not concentrated solely on his top boss.
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Although the White House has not reported where the attack occurred or if other members of the ‘Aragua Train’ were affected, analysts consulted by security organizations believe that the operation could anticipate a new phase of actions directed against commanders who still remain in Venezuela.
The hypothesis gains strength because, in addition to having been classified as a foreign terrorist organization by Washington, the ‘Aragua Train’ had been the subject of investigations, financial sanctions and judicial proceedings against its main leaders.
For Colombia, the fact takes on an additional dimension. For years, intelligence reports have indicated that several illegal armed structures found rearguard, training, financing and mobility spaces in Venezuelan territory.
The death of ‘Niño Guerrero’ could become a precedent that force those groups to rethink their security schemesin moments when The United States demonstrates the ability to act against targets considered of high strategic value inside the Venezuelan territory.
Justice Editorial
Justicia@eltiempo.com
