The role of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States was fundamental in the operation that ended the life of Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, alias Niño Guerrero, the terrorist leader of the Tren de Aragua. According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. intelligence agency provided the information that allowed for the location of the Venezuelan criminal in the state of Bolívar, in southern Venezuela, before the attack carried out by the U.S. Southern Command.
This revelation once again demonstrates the great capability of the United States to detect, track, and strike high-value criminal targets even outside its borders, combining strategic intelligence, military deployment, and political decision-making in a region where many gangs had found refuge for years.
According to the U.S. media, a senior official in the Trump administration stated that the CIA was the agency responsible for providing the intelligence used to identify the target. This information adds a central element to an operation that had already drawn attention for its level of coordination and cooperation with Venezuelan actors.
Trump maintained that the operation was closely coordinated with “friends in Venezuela,” a phrase that highlights a significant shift in regional security cooperation. Beyond the political tensions that have accumulated over the years between Washington and Caracas, the elimination of the leader of the Tren de Aragua shows that the Trump administration managed to open a real avenue for collaboration.
