The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on a Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua, which has been linked to a series of kidnappings, extortion, and other violent crimes associated with migrants in Latin America and the United States. The U.S. Treasury Department stated that Tren de Aragua poses a significant criminal threat in the region, targeting vulnerable populations such as migrant women and girls for sex trafficking.
Originating over a decade ago in a lawless prison in the state of Aragua, the gang has expanded its operations as millions of Venezuelans fled President Nicolás Maduro's regime. Countries like Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador have accused Tren de Aragua of perpetrating violent crimes, including drug trafficking, extortion, and murders for hire, in regions with high murder rates.
