When President Trump says he’s going to make America safe again, he means it—and once again, his administration is proving it with action, not empty promises. On Thursday, the Trump administration unveiled a new round of sanctions targeting the top leadership of Tren de Aragua, a violent Venezuelan gang that has infiltrated American communities and spread chaos across Latin America. These are not just thugs—we’re talking about a transnational criminal organization with ties to terrorism, drug trafficking, human smuggling, and violence that makes your average street gang look like a playground scuffle.
At the center of the crackdown is Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, also known as Niño Guerrero, the gang’s ringleader. Guerrero has been running this criminal empire for over two decades, transforming it from a prison-based gang into a global threat with operations reaching deep into the United States. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent didn’t mince words: “Today’s action highlights the critical role of leaders like Niño Guerrero and his lieutenants in Tren de Aragua’s efforts to increase its destabilizing influence throughout the region.”
Let’s be clear—this is not just a foreign problem. These criminals are already here. Tren de Aragua has exploited the Biden-era border chaos to slip into our country and establish operational footholds, especially in vulnerable cities already overwhelmed by illegal immigration and gang violence. President Trump’s decision to officially designate Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization is a critical step in treating this threat with the seriousness it deserves. It unlocks stronger tools for law enforcement and intelligence agencies to go after these monsters wherever they hide.
The sanctions announced by the Treasury Department are sweeping. They target six top gang leaders, freezing any assets they may have in the U.S. or within reach of American institutions. That means no bank accounts, no shell corporations, no financial transactions. They’re cut off. And that’s exactly what needs to happen. The only way to weaken these cartels and criminal syndicates is to go after their money—the lifeblood of their operations.
Among those sanctioned: Yohan Jose Romero, a key figure responsible for Tren de Aragua’s illegal mining operations in Venezuela—a major source of funding for the gang. Johan Petrica, another lieutenant, is reportedly supplying the gang with military-grade weapons. Josue Angel Santana Pena is accused of everything from bombings to extortion and terrorism. Even Guerrero’s wife, Wendy Marbelys Rios Gomez, has been sanctioned for her role in laundering money and financing terrorism. These aren’t low-level players. These are the top brass, the architects of misery and terror.
The Trump administration also sanctioned Wilmer Jose Perez Castillo, a gang hitman responsible for assassinating police officers and Venezuelan intelligence officials. Felix Anner Castillo Rondon, who leads the gang’s Chilean operation, is implicated in human trafficking, narcotics, and the sexual exploitation of women. If you’re wondering what kind of people we’re dealing with, look no further.
And let’s not forget the broader context. This isn’t happening in a vacuum. Since President Trump returned to the White House in January, his administration has moved aggressively to dismantle the financial networks of drug cartels and transnational gangs. The Sinaloa Cartel, Cartel de Noreste, and Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion have all come under heavy financial fire. The message is clear: under Trump, the United States will no longer be a safe haven for cartel cash or criminal expansion.
Contrast this with the last administration, where border security was a joke, and criminal organizations were allowed to flourish under the guise of compassion and open borders. Biden and his progressive allies turned a blind eye to the consequences of unchecked migration and weak enforcement, and innocent Americans paid the price. President Trump is doing what they refused to do: putting the safety of the American people first.
This is what real leadership looks like—decisive, unapologetic, and laser-focused on protecting our nation. These sanctions are a warning to every gang, cartel, and terrorist group: if you bring crime into our communities, we will find you, we will cut off your funding, and we will destroy your networks. America is back in control. And under President Trump, law and order is not up for negotiation.
