2023-09-27 17:37:38
Guerrero commanded the Aragua Train from the Tocorón prison, a penitentiary center where he had been held since 2013.
Photo: AFP and private archive
The recent escape from prison of alias Niño Guerrero, leader of the transnational criminal gang Tren de Aragua, has the countries where this group has a presence on alert. Although there is speculation about its possible whereabouts, the Colombian intelligence community, along with those of other countries, has been discussing for several months about the security implications of the presence of this criminal organization, made up of nearly 3,000 people, according to calculations of the Colombian authorities. To combat this criminal organization of Venezuelan origin, the Colombian authorities have a detailed X-ray of where it is present in Colombia and that other structures from the neighboring country are already on this side of the border.
El Espectador learned of a six-page document, labeled “top secret,” that has been shared in the latest high-profile meetings on security matters to shed light on the Aragua Train to members of the intelligence community in Colombia, which It is made up of the Police, the Army, the Air Force, the National Intelligence Directorate (DNI) and the Financial Information and Analysis Unit (UIAF). The document also indicates that criminal organizations of the same origin are also present in the Llanos Orientales, Atlántico, Tolima, La Guajira, Norte de Santander and Arauca. Among them, the Llano, Apure and del Norte trains, about which little has been said in Colombia.
The document known to this newspaper calls them “mega gangs” due to their transnational character “They have a display of social organization capabilities in Colombian territory in order to establish functional cells for espionage, subversion, sabotage and terrorism operations Articulation with Colombian armed actors , in order to expand criminal networks and diversify illegal economies in the region Participation in destabilization operations in the region Money laundering from illegal economies managed by mega-gangs through legal companies, exchange houses, customs agents, multinationals and cryptocurrencies,” says the Colombian intelligence reports.
In 2014, the report points out, the presence of the so-called mega gangs was concentrated in 10 Venezuelan states, while today, they are found practically in the entire Venezuelan territory and extend their tentacles throughout the region, exacerbated by the economic crisis facing that country. country, with special impact on the territory that shares a significant extension of the border that, being porous, has limitations in controls.
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”This threat means the co-option of empty border spaces and the deployment of offensive espionage operations capabilities, coordinating efforts between low-intensity actors,” states the document that was shared in the recent Binational Border Commission (COMBIFRON) with Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. While the authorities find the location of Niño Guerrero (Interpol has already issued 9 blue circulars), the Venezuelan government says that the Arauga Train was dismantled, Colombian intelligence is clear that this scenario is far away and that they must continue working to control this gang.
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