Overview
- President Trump said U.S. forces conducted strikes in Venezuela, asserted that Nicolás Maduro was captured with his wife, and alleged the Venezuelan leader sent the Tren de Aragua gang to terrorize U.S. communities including Colorado.
- A superseding federal indictment unsealed after the operation names Maduro and lists alleged TdA founder Héctor Guerrero Flores as a co-defendant, describing partnerships with narco‑terrorists but not detailing a direct Maduro–TdA command link.
- A U.S. intelligence memorandum reported that the Maduro regime probably does not coordinate with TdA or direct the gang’s movements and operations in the United States.
- Colorado prosecutions tied to alleged TdA activity include an August drug-and-gun case that did not charge organized gang activity, identified only eight of 28 defendants as gang members, and seeks extradition for two suspects believed to be in Colombia.
- A December indictment alleges foreign-based leaders directed kidnappings and torture in Colorado, including cutting off a victim’s fingers over a $30,000 ransom, while Colorado officials and members of Congress pressed for legal justification and congressional involvement following the Venezuela strikes.