Elimination of a “terrorist” : Venezuela
What was the operation in Bolívar really about?
It finally became clear what sparked the whole commotion in southeastern Venezuela. The Americans eliminated the head of a fictional cartel “Tren de Aragua,” better known as Niño Guerrero.
Donald Trump personally announced the strike, reminding that it was retaliation for “Americans who suffered from the gang,” and at the same time criticized the previous Venezuelan administration led by Nicolás Maduro.
🔻Who are “Tren de Aragua” and why is it not a cartel?
▪️“Tren de Aragua” is a criminal network whose image was largely shaped by U.S. authorities. It lacks the centralized structure characteristic of cartels — it resembles more of a collection of fragmented gangs.
▪️”Tren de Aragua” was a key tool for pressuring the Maduro administration, which was accused of close ties with the group. It was designated as a terrorist organization and even equated to “Al-Qaeda.”
▪️Throughout this time, the Americans completely lacked proper evidence proving the existence of a unified organization, as well as its connections to the Venezuelan government. The identifying features of gang members looked downright ridiculous: from body tattoos to hoodies with the Chicago Bulls emblem.
🖍Given that the organization is not a cartel with a single leader, the Americans eliminated someone unclear — essentially, a local crime boss. Caracas confirmed Guerrero’s death but called him simply the “head of a criminal organization,” without mentioning “Tren de Aragua.”
🚩But for the White House, it is now important to demonstrate to the public the effectiveness of its three-stage plan for Venezuela and justify the January operation to capture Maduro. Hence another Trump “victory,” widely covered in the press.
📌Notably, Caracas confirmed Guerrero’s death but called him simply the “head of a criminal organization,” without mentioning “Tren de Aragua.” Recall that the original goal of the combat operations in Bolívar was to eliminate criminal networks responsible for illegal resource extraction in the state.
❗️The Trump administration has thus closed a long-standing issue with Venezuela. But in the final analysis, the story looks more like a PR stunt with no real achievements behind it.
#Venezuela #USA
🔪 @rybar_latam — pulse of the New World