U.S. strikes back: Custom Border Protection confirms mass arrests of Tren de Aragua Venezuelan gang

Last year, U.S. border authorities detained 41 members of the dangerous Venezuelan mega-gang El Tren de Aragua while they were trying to enter the country. The criminal group, known for its violence and illicit activities, has been identified as a growing threat to public safety in the United States, according to a recent report from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published by CNN en Español.

The Aragua Train, originating inside a Venezuelan prison, has evolved into a criminal organization with international reach.

Specialized in extortion, kidnapping, drug and human trafficking, and hitmen, this mega-gang has taken advantage of the mass exodus of Venezuelans to expand its operations beyond the borders of its native country. Currently, it has more than 3,000 members, spreading terror in countries such as Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and several Central American nations.

The CBP has included El Tren de Aragua on its list of dangerous gangs, and the number of arrests of its members at the southern border of the United States is surpassed only by groups such as Barrio 18, MS-13, the Paisas and the Sureños. Gloria Chávez, head of the Border Patrol of the McAllen sector, pointed out in a recent press conference that the presence of this gang was detected last year in that region.

"The Aragua Train was something that was detected last year and it was in this region that the identification of this gang was made," said Chávez.

From the Mexican side of the border, media outlets have reported that El Tren de Aragua has begun forming alliances with local gangs to capitalize on the steady flow of Venezuelan migrants attempting to enter the United States. These desperate and vulnerable migrants have become easy targets for extortion and kidnapping. Groups like 'La Empresa', with direct ties to El Tren de Aragua, facilitate the illegal entry of migrants in exchange for exorbitant payments.

The prosecutor of the Northern Zone of Chihuahua, Carlos Manuel Salas, confirmed the participation of members of the Aragua Train in migrant trafficking and kidnapping activities.

"We have been aware of some Venezuelans who actually participate in these types of events... yes, we have had reports about it," Salas commented.

According to Mexican authorities, in the last three years they have rescued at least 1,700 migrants kidnapped by criminal groups in the state of Chihuahua. These migrants, coming from various parts of Central America, are in conditions of extreme vulnerability, which makes them easy prey for organizations like El Tren de Aragua.

The exodus of more than 7.7 million Venezuelans in the last decade has created fertile ground for the expansion of the Aragua Train. What began as a gang in a Venezuelan prison now represents an international threat, extending its influence and control over criminal activities in multiple countries.