American law enforcement agencies are increasingly focusing on threat posed by Venezuelan-born gang Tren de Aragua as the group's violent activities spread across the western hemisphere, the U.S. included.
Was Tabor, a former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) official who once headed the agency's office in Caracas, has been receiving calls from police departments across the country seeking advice on how to confront the gang.
In fact, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced rewards for information that can lead to the identification and arrest of suspected members of the gang. Concretely, the Governor's Public Safety Office is offering up to $5,000 for the information. Those submitting tips can do so through the Texas Crime Stoppers hotline or online through the Texas Department of Public Safety. All of them are anonymous regardless of the submission method.
The announcement comes a few days after the governor declared the gang a "foreign terrorist organization," a decision that allows his administration to increase resources dedicated to dealing with the group, including the creation of a dedicated task force.
Tren de Aragua gang originated more than a decade ago in a notorious Venezuelan prison. Over time, the group expanded its operations, exploiting Venezuela's economic collapse and the mass migration of Venezuelans to other parts of Latin America and the U.S. Today, the gang is involved in a wide range of criminal activities, including kidnappings, extortion, drug smuggling, and human trafficking.
In July, the Biden administration sanctioned Tren de Aragua, placing it on a list of transnational criminal organizations alongside MS-13 and Italy's Camorra. The U.S. government has offered $12 million in rewards for information leading to the capture of three gang leaders.
The gang gained national attention in the U.S. after a video surfaced showing armed men entering an apartment in Aurora, Colorado. While police called reports of the gang's presence exaggerated, they acknowledged investigations into several Venezuelan suspects, including individuals accused of theft, assault, and other crimes. The group has also been linked to criminal activities in major U.S. cities, including sex trafficking and drug smuggling.
Tren de Aragua's origins trace back to a prison in Venezuela's Aragua state, where one of its founders, Hector Guerrero, also known as "El Niño," was jailed for killing a police officer. After escaping from prison multiple times, Guerrero is believed to be living in Colombia. Authorities in countries such as Chile, Peru, and Colombia have accused the gang of spreading violence in regions with high concentrations of Venezuelan migrants, often using brutal tactics such as beheadings and extortion.
In the U.S., concerns are growing that Tren de Aragua's violent methods could take root as more Venezuelan migrants enter the country. Republican lawmakers, led by Senator Marco Rubio, have urged the Biden administration to adopt a coordinated strategy to combat the gang's infiltration. They argue that weak immigration enforcement is enabling the group to exploit migrant routes and expand its influence.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan officials have downplayed the gang's significance. President Nicolás Maduro's government claimed last year that it had dismantled the group, and Foreign Minister Yván Gil described it as a "fiction created by the international media." However, tensions remain high as U.S. officials and law enforcement continue to monitor the gang's activities both abroad and on American soil.
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