Sanctioning Key Members of Foreign Terrorist Organization Tren de Aragua

The United States is sanctioning the head and key members of Tren de Aragua (TdA), a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) that originated in Venezuela and has launched a campaign of terror throughout our hemisphere. 

Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores (a.k.a “Niño Guerrero”) has a history of being involved in criminal activities for over two decades and currently is the detestable leader of TdA.  Guerrero expanded TdA from a prison gang involved in extortion and bribery to an organization engaged in terrorism with growing influence throughout the Western Hemisphere.  The Department of State, through the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program managed by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Guerrero. 

Today’s sanction actions also target five additional key TdA leaders and affiliates, including one of TdA’s co-founders and a close Guerrero lieutenant, Yohan Jose Romero (a.k.a. “Johan Petrica”).  INL is also offering a reward of up to $4 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Romero.  These other TdA leaders are involved in atrocious crimes such as illicit drug trade, migrant smuggling, human trafficking, extortion, sexual exploitation of women and children, and money laundering, among other activities.   

This action follows the recent designation of TdA as an FTO and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).  The United States is committed to keeping the American people safe by using all available means to eliminate TdA’s threats of violent crime throughout our hemisphere.   

For more information about today’s designation, please see Treasury’s press release.