Treasury Sanctions Top Leaders of Tren de Aragua

WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores (a.k.a. “Niño Guerrero”)—the head of Tren de Aragua—and five other key Tren de Aragua leaders and affiliates. Tren de Aragua is a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) that originated in Venezuela and continues to expand. Niño Guerrero has grown Tren de Aragua from a prison gang involved in extortion and bribery to an influential organization that threatens public safety throughout the Western Hemisphere. Tren de Aragua is involved in the illicit drug trade, human smuggling and trafficking, extortion, sexual exploitation of women and children, and money laundering, among other criminal activities.“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,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent.