Trump Admin Places Sanctions on Leader of Venezuelan Gang Tren de Aragua

New sanctions announced Thursday target Tren de Aragua’s leader, Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, and five others.

Salvadoran prison guards escort alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua in Tecoluca, El Salvador, in a handout image obtained on March 31, 2025. Secretaria de Prensa de la Presidencia/Handout via Reuters

The U.S. Department of the Treasury on July 17 said it placed sanctions on the leader of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and five other members.

The sanctions target Tren de Aragua’s leader, Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, also known as “Niño Guerrero,” and five others who are considered key leaders and affiliates of the criminal gang, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said in a statement.