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Brainwave Sessions
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Brainwave Sessions
Tren de Aragua: From Railroad Union to Venezuelan Crime Cartel—All Aboard the Wrong Train!
The Tren de Aragua is a powerful criminal organization that originated in Venezuela, initially emerging between 2007 and 2010 from a railway workers' union. Over time, it evolved into a notorious megabanda operating from the Tocorón prison under the leadership of Héctor "Niño" Guerrero. The gang is involved in a wide range of criminal activities, including extortion, kidnapping, murder, and drug, human, and sex trafficking.
Expanding its influence beyond Venezuela, the Tren de Aragua has established a presence in Colombia, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, and Brazil. Reports and arrests suggest the group has also reached the United States, though the extent of its operations there remains debated. In 2024 and 2025, the U.S. government officially designated the Tren de Aragua as both a transnational criminal organization and a foreign terrorist organization, triggering intensified law enforcement actions, including ICE-led arrests.
Despite a major Venezuelan raid on Tocorón prison in September 2023, aimed at dismantling the gang’s stronghold, "Niño" Guerrero reportedly escaped, further complicating efforts to curb the organization's activities.
