Screenshot of a US SOUTHCOM footage of what appears to be an airstrike, showing a green building with a nearby shed being blown up. Photo: TS/@realDonaldTrump/via BBC.
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)— Through an official statement, the government of Venezuela reported Saturday that a “joint operation” with US security agencies successfully neutralized Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, the notorious leader of the transnational criminal organization Tren de Aragua, widely known by his alias “Niño Guerrero.”
The security operation was carried out in the southeast of Bolívar state with specialized technical and technological support. While the official Venezuelan communique referred to the involvement of “US security agencies,” corporate media outlets reported that the operation was executed with US military support.
COMUNICADO
El Gobierno de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela informa que, en el marco de una operación combinada entre organismos de seguridad de Venezuela y de los Estados Unidos en el sureste del estado Bolívar, fueron desarticuladas estructuras de delincuencia organizada… pic.twitter.com/nSE1gYYLc6
— Miraflores Al Momento (@AlMomento_M) June 13, 2026
The announcement sparked immediate domestic criticism and public skepticism. Just days earlier, the Venezuelan government had explicitly dismissed local news reports regarding the deployment of US forces in Bolívar state as fake news, utilizing the exact same official communication channels that delivered Saturday’s confirmation.
On the other hand, the White House reported the “joint operation” as a US SOUTHCOM kinetic strike executed under Donald Trump’s directions. As evidence, the White House reposted a Trump Truth Social post where he made statements against Tren de Aragua, adding at the end the operation was “coordinated closely with our friends in Venezuela.”
Joint security operation in Bolívar state
Despite the political controversy, official sources highlighted that the operation proceeded smoothly, and that the neutralization of Niño Guerrero was carried out through established formal cooperation mechanisms and a continuous exchange of strategic intelligence between the authorities of the two countries.
Following the execution of the operation, the Venezuelan government formally congratulated all law enforcement officials, security apparatuses, and state institutions that collaborated in its planning and execution. The Venezuelan government also reiterated its dedication to combating organized crime, asserting that it will maintain all measures necessary to protect national peace, tranquility, and the comprehensive safety of the population.
Guerrero’s criminal trajectory began at a young age. His record dates back to 2005, when he was accused of murdering a police officer. Following a 2010 sentencing, he was sent to the Tocorón prison, where he systematically built the operational command structure of the Tren de Aragua syndicate.
In September 2023, a massive police raid launched by the government of President Nicolás Maduro targeted the penitentiary center to dismantle the organization, though it was later revealed that Guerrero had managed to escape. Over more than a decade, Tren de Aragua evolved from prison-based extortion and the bribery of correctional officials into a highly organized transnational network specializing in human trafficking, micro-drug trafficking, and extortion extending beyond Venezuela’s borders.
US multinational IMPSA to complete Tocoma Hydroelectric Plant
In a concurrent development highlighting growing US involvement in Venezuela’s internal affairs, the Venezuelan government announced the signing of an agreement with US multinational company IMPSA (Industrias Metalúrgicas Pescarmona S.A.) to finalize construction on the long-delayed Tocoma Hydroelectric Plant.
Venezuelan authorities provided no details regarding any public bidding process or alternative international suppliers evaluated for the infrastructure project.
While Venezuelan outlets portrayed the agreement as an alliance with an Argentinian corporation, in reality, the current government of Argentina privatized it and sold it to US investors.
IMPSA, which operated for years as an Argentinian public enterprise, was officially transferred to private hands on February 11, 2025. The transaction stood as one of the first highly controversial privatizations enacted under the administration of far-right Argentinian President Javier Milei, with the final contract transferring 84.9% of corporate shares to the Industrial Acquisitions Fund LLC (IAF), a US consortium, in partnership with Texas-based Arc Energy.
The acquisition included the 63.7% stake held by the Argentinian national government and the 21.2% stake belonging to the province of Mendoza.
The most visible oligarchs behind IAF is Arc Energy CEO Jason Arceneaux and Venezuelan-born bussinessman Hidalgo Socorro. Argentinian media reports highlight that Arceneaux and fellow directors at Arc Energy have strong political ties to Donald Trump. Company leaders acted as prominent financial contributors to Trump’s presidential campaign.
Meanwhile Hidalgo Socorro has a history of high-stakes, legally combative business with Venezuela’s PDVSA. He was tied to a company called Brumby Shipholdings, which engaged in a multi-million dollar legal battle against the Venezuela’s state-owned oil corporation related to maritime tugboats deals.
According to official statements, the current agreement with Venezuela is intended to stabilize and optimize the National Electric System (SEN), which has been severely degraded by illegal US sanctions. The large-scale infrastructure project comprises the instalation of two hydraulic turbines at the dam, adding a total of 2,640 megawatts to Venezuela’s national power grid—an energy injection that authorities call essential to driving domestic economic growth.
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/SC
