Venezuelan Gang Leader and Members Sanctioned by US Authorities

The Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on the leader of the notorious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, also known as “Niño Guerrero,” along with five of its top members. These measures aim to disrupt the gang’s extensive drug and human trafficking operations.

All assets and interests held within the US or controlled by US persons on behalf of Guerrero Flores will be frozen. Companies primarily owned by him, his wife Wendy Marbelys Rios Gomez, and other key figures, are barred from engaging in transactions with US citizens or in US markets.

Salvadoran police escorting a handcuffed gang member on a plane. — Salvadoran police escort a suspected member of Tren de Aragua. via REUTERS

According to officials, Guerrero Flores and his associates, including lieutenants like Yohan Jose Romero, “Johan Petrica”; Josue Angel Santana Pena, “Santanita”; Wilmer Jose Perez Castillo, “Wilmer Guayabal”; and Felix Anner Castillo Rondon, “Pure Arnel,” play pivotal roles in the gang’s operations across the region.

The US offers up to $4 million rewards for information leading to Romero’s arrest, citing his involvement in armed conflicts and drug trafficking. Santana Pena is accused of directing violent acts, including homicides, bombings, and extortion from prison.

Hector Guerrero Flores holding a rifle. — Hector Guerrero Flores, leader of Tren de Aragua, known for his violent criminal activities.

Members of Tren de Aragua have committed violent crimes against Americans, including the rape and murder of young women. For instance, in 2024, gang member Jose Ibarra was sentenced to life after murdering nurse Laken Riley in Georgia, a crime for which he was convicted after a brutal attack.

The gang operates across multiple countries, engaging in theft, fraud, and financing drug trafficking with the proceeds funneled back to South America. The State Department has designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization, placing a $5 million bounty on Guerrero Flores.

Some gang members, including Perez Castillo and Castillo Rondon, have been linked to violent acts, drug and human trafficking, and money laundering, with Castillo Rondon leading a cell in Chile.

Efforts to dismantle the gang continue as US authorities seek to bring its leaders to justice, tackling its destabilizing influence across the region.