Headline:
Maduro Blames Opposition for Expansion of ‘Tren de Aragua’ Criminal Organization Outside Venezuela
Article:
Caracas, Dec. 14 (Alba Venezuela) – President Nicolás Maduro accused Venezuela’s opposition of masterminding the international expansion of the criminal organization ‘Tren de Aragua,’ during a broadcast on the state-owned VTV channel.
Maduro lamented that members of ‘Tren de Aragua’ have infiltrated several countries, facilitated by the opposition’s international network. He singled out opposition leaders Leopoldo López and Julio Borges, stating that they directed the criminal group from Spain and the United States, aiming to foment violence following the highly controversial presidential elections held on July 28, 2024.
The ‘Tren de Aragua’ gang originated in the notorious Tocorón prison and has since spread to Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and Chile, where authorities hold them responsible for a wide array of crimes, including drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, and murder.
Echoing his stance on the opposition, Maduro characterized their tactics as violent and fascist, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to maintaining peace, unity, and progress in Venezuela.
Previously, on August 15, 2024, Venezuela’s Foreign Minister, Yván Gil, accused the opposition’s main coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), of colluding with ‘Tren de Aragua’ to orchestrate a coup d’état in the country. The opposition, however, maintains that the elections’ outcome was fraudulent, and they reject Maduro’s presidency.
In recent months, Venezuelan security forces have arrested 44 members of ‘Tren de Aragua,’ as reported by Attorney General Tarek William Saab. Earlier this week, Colombian authorities detained Johan Michael García Rojas, alias ‘Gallina,’ allegedly the group’s third-in-command.
This news comes as tensions in Venezuela remain high following the disputed presidential election and ongoing economic struggles in the South American nation.
