Leader of Venezuelan Gang With Links to US on Trial for Murder

One of the leaders of an infamous Venezuelan gang wreaking havoc on the United States is on trial for murder in Chile.

Tren de Aragua (TDA), the notorious gang, has been thrust into the national spotlight after a video showing armed members of the group storming an apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado, went viral. The TDA members have been known to the Aurora Police Department for several months, according to authorities.

A trial has commenced in Chile against 12 alleged members of the notorious criminal gang, including one of its leaders, Carlos González Vaca, also known as “Estrella.” He’s a key figure in the gang, recognized as the leader of the group’s operations in Chile.

González Vaca allegedly worked under Héctor Guerrero Flores, alias “Niño Guerrero,” the leader of TDA, coordinating illegal activities and controlling territories, especially near the Chilean-Bolivian border.

The defendants, who were operating in the Tarapacá region, face charges ranging from human trafficking, extortion and drug trafficking to kidnapping and murder.

Prosecutors are seeking a total of over 505 years of prison sentences for the group, with González Vaca facing life imprisonment along with additional sentences that could amount to over 125 years.

The trial is being conducted entirely online for security reasons, with witnesses, victims and experts testifying remotely to prevent potential attacks or escapes. The proceedings are part of a larger investigation by the Tarapacá Prosecutor’s Office, which has uncovered various criminal operations carried out by the gang, including sexual exploitation and drug smuggling. ​

“Any possibility of escape of the accused or of attack against the victims, civilian and police witnesses, and experts who will testify in the trial must be avoided, and for this we have arranged all the measures that we consider necessary,” said the prosecutor in charge of the investigations of the Tren de Aragua in the region.

A spokesperson for Senator Marco Rubio told Newsweek: “Since March of this year, Marco urged the Biden-Harris administration to sanction these (Tren de Aragua) mercenaries as a Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO). The administration opted to sanction TDA in July.

“Just last week he sent a letter to Merrick Garland asking the Department of Justice to investigate this TCO and requesting measures to protect the American people.”

“We are extremely concerned with recent reports that U.S.-designated transnational criminal organization (TCO) Tren de Aragua is expanding its presence within the United States. Given the damaging consequences of their violent crimes on the American people, we write to urge the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate Tren de Aragua’s rapid expansion to various states and localities,” the letter said.

It comes after Aurora Police Department identified 10 members of the notorious Venezuelan gang threatening residents of a Colorado town, with some crimes dating back to late last year.

Aurora PD said that TDA members had been “committing acts of violence against members of the migrant community” in the town.

TDA originated as a prison gang in Aragua, Venezuela, but it rapidly expanded in recent years, according to the U.S. Department of State.

Meanwhile, the owner of a Texas hotel in El Paso faces legal action due to alleged violent criminal activity involving suspected members of TDA, which has been under the spotlight in the run-up to the 2024 election.