Caracas, January 22, 2025 (venezuelanalysis.com) – The Venezuelan Attorney General’s Office has reaffirmed its commitment to tackle organized crime.
In a statement issued on Monday, Attorney General Tarek William Saab highlighted recent efforts to dismantle “criminal groups” including Tren de Aragua. Saab explained a two-phase process that involved a takeover of the Tocorón prison to dismantle the organization in Venezuelan territory.
“There are 48 members [of Tren de Aragua] currently detained and undergoing trial, as well as several others who died in clashes with security forces,” the communique read. “An important number of associates have pending arrest warrants and Interpol red alerts issued.”
The Tren de Aragua is reported to have emerged in Venezuela in the early 2010s, through a combination of a syndicate that controlled construction jobs in a railway project and a growing foothold inside Venezuelan prisons.
Venezuela’s top prosecutor went on to claim that the operation against Tren de Aragua has faced “obstacles” in alleged collusion from Colombian authorities. He accused former presidents Iván Duque and Álvaro Uribe of facilitating the entry of members of the organization into Colombian territory.
Saab likewise claimed that several Tren de Aragua operatives moved to the United States with assistance from Venezuelan far-right political operators such as Leopoldo López.
“There is evidence of communications between Gilber Caro, as a Leopoldo López intermediary, with gang leaders in Venezuelan prisons to sow violence after the July 28 presidential elections,” the statement read.
Venezuelan authorities have long denounced alleged ties between the US-backed opposition and armed groups operating inside the country. On Wednesday, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello reported the killing of Wilexis Acevedo in a large-scale security operation in the eastern Caracas barrio of Petare. Acevedo, who led an organization that controlled large swathes of territory, had been accused of sowing violence following the recent presidential contest as well as on other occasions to trigger instability.
In his communique, Attorney General Saab offered to “resume legal cooperation” with US authorities to coordinate the deportation of Venezuelan nationals found guilty of criminal activities.
On Monday, the newly-inaugurated Donald Trump administration issued an executive order designating “cartels and other organizations,” including Tren de Aragua, as “foreign terrorist organizations.”
“The Cartels and other transnational organizations, such as Tren de Aragua and La Mara Salvatrucha, operate both within and outside the United States,” the order claimed. “They present an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security of the United States.”
In July 2024 the US Treasury Department sanctioned Tren de Aragua as a “transnational crime organization,” accusing it of profiting from a range of activities including drug trafficking, illegal mining, kidnapping, human trafficking and extortion.
The organization’s alleged presence in US territory has not been stated by any spokesperson. However, local law enforcement agencies in several states have pinned crimes on Tren de Aragua. There had been reports in the past decade of the group expanding its operations to other Latin American countries, particularly preying on Venezuelan migrant communities.
Trump has brought up Tren de Aragua on repeated occasions to boost anti-immigration rhetoric. On the eve of his January 20 inauguration, the US president vowed to “eliminate the savage gang Tren de Aragua” from US territory.
During his presidential campaign, the business mogul made repeated promises to “take control” of US borders and execute mass deportations, emphasizing Venezuelans. Any repatriation program would require cooperation with the Nicolás Maduro government.
On Monday, White House envoy for special missions Richard Grenell said he had spoken to Venezuelan officials. In a social media post, Grenell stated that “diplomacy is back” and that “talking is a tactic.”
According to Reuters, the Trump envoy will also meet with Venezuelan opposition figures. The Biden administration backed former candidate Edmundo González’s presidential victory claims and levied individual sanctions against a number of Venezuelan officials.
The new administration includes Marco Rubio, who has endorsed past regime-change efforts against Caracas, as secretary of state.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
