The New York Times headquarters crossed by and red line. File photo.
In an article published on Saturday, April 5, the New York Times (NYT) confirmed a February 26 US intelligence report concluding that the defunct Tren de Aragua criminal group does not operate under the control of the Venezuelan government, nor does it commit crimes on US territory under its command.
Fake news hoax
Under this false pretext, US President Donald Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport Venezuelans without legal protection to El Salvador, arguing that the criminal group in Venezuela had allegedly “invaded” the US.
Despite the lack of solid evidence, Trump pushed ahead with his controversial immigration policy, sparking a new constitutional crisis in the United States. The New York Times reported that a court in Washington is evaluating whether his decision violated due process and the rights of migrants.
A previous report by the aforementioned outlet explained that the intelligence assessment was conducted by multiple agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Security Agency (NSA). They agreed that the gang operates independently. Only the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) partially disagreed, suggesting possible ties to Nicolás Maduro’s government, based on information the other agencies did not consider credible.
In that regard, The New York Times’ most recent publication reiterated, “The Trump administration has suggested that Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, sent members of the Tren de Aragua and other Venezuelan gangs to the United States to destabilize the country.”
It adds, “in February, US intelligence agencies reportedly circulated findings internally that Tren de Aragua is not controlled by the Maduro government.”
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has repeatedly condemned the criminalization of Venezuelan migrants in the United States and the scapegoating of the Venezuelan government to justify frequent attacks on its people.
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SF
