Venezuela's Tocorón Prison Was Birthplace of Infamous Gang, Let Leader Escape Under President Maduro's Watch.
Tocorón prison in Venezuela was once a luxury living community with pools and a nightclub, but it now serves as the headquarters for one of the country's most notorious gangs. Tren de Aragua, a foreign terrorist organization designated by the US, was formed within the prison walls and has since expanded its reach to 11 states across Venezuela and several cities in the United States.
The corruption that thrived under President Maduro's watch allowed Héctor "Niño" Guerrero to expand his gang while serving time behind bars. In 2023, authorities attempted to regain control of Tocorón prison but failed to stop Guerrero from escaping with other members. This escape led to an increase in violent crimes committed by the gang in US cities like Aurora, Colorado.
Tren de Aragua allegedly commandedeered apartment buildings in Aurora, making national headlines as they held complexes for ransom and brandished guns at residents. The gang's leader, Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, aka "Niño Guerrero," was added to the FBI's most-wanted list due to his involvement with the organization.
Despite efforts by US authorities, Tren de Aragua continues to wreak havoc in US cities. In 2024, two alleged leaders of the group were indicted for a series of crimes in Colorado, while another leader remains on the run following his escape from Venezuelan prison. The Southern District of New York also unsealed an indictment against Guerrero.
In December, President Trump announced that over 2,700 alleged members of Tren de Aragua were arrested as part of a crackdown on the gang. However, experts say that allowing gangs to take control of institutions can lead to more violence and corruption, especially if the state fails to support conditions of confinement or correctional officers have ineffective governance in place.
"This might sound like déjà vu," Aurora Police Department Chief Todd Chamberlain said about the recent incidents involving Tren de Aragua. "We are addressing this actively, effectively and immediately."
Tocorón prison in Venezuela was once a luxury living community with pools and a nightclub, but it now serves as the headquarters for one of the country's most notorious gangs. Tren de Aragua, a foreign terrorist organization designated by the US, was formed within the prison walls and has since expanded its reach to 11 states across Venezuela and several cities in the United States.
The corruption that thrived under President Maduro's watch allowed Héctor "Niño" Guerrero to expand his gang while serving time behind bars. In 2023, authorities attempted to regain control of Tocorón prison but failed to stop Guerrero from escaping with other members. This escape led to an increase in violent crimes committed by the gang in US cities like Aurora, Colorado.
Tren de Aragua allegedly commandedeered apartment buildings in Aurora, making national headlines as they held complexes for ransom and brandished guns at residents. The gang's leader, Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, aka "Niño Guerrero," was added to the FBI's most-wanted list due to his involvement with the organization.
Despite efforts by US authorities, Tren de Aragua continues to wreak havoc in US cities. In 2024, two alleged leaders of the group were indicted for a series of crimes in Colorado, while another leader remains on the run following his escape from Venezuelan prison. The Southern District of New York also unsealed an indictment against Guerrero.
In December, President Trump announced that over 2,700 alleged members of Tren de Aragua were arrested as part of a crackdown on the gang. However, experts say that allowing gangs to take control of institutions can lead to more violence and corruption, especially if the state fails to support conditions of confinement or correctional officers have ineffective governance in place.
"This might sound like déjà vu," Aurora Police Department Chief Todd Chamberlain said about the recent incidents involving Tren de Aragua. "We are addressing this actively, effectively and immediately."
it's like a real-life movie set, but not in a good way 
I mean, who knew prisons could be so fancy? 
pools and a nightclub? sounds like a sick getaway for some people 
but honestly it's super concerning how it all went down. I'm still trying to wrap my head around how Héctor "Niño" Guerrero was able to escape and start a gang from prison 
and now the whole US is dealing with the aftermath 
like, what's being done to fix this? are we just gonna sit back and watch more violence and corruption happen? it's so frustrating 
. they got pools and nightclubs in there but who's gonna keep the bad guys in line? Venezuela is already in shambles what makes anyone think throwing more cash at it is gonna fix the problem? 
and now theres some gang running amok in the US, taking over apartments and holding people for ransom... its just not right 
.
The fact that they're now holding apartment buildings for ransom and threatening residents is wild 
. It's crazy to think that corruption within institutions can lead to this kind of chaos. I hope the authorities in Aurora are doing everything they can to take them down 
️. I mean, how can that be allowed to happen? The fact that President Maduro's watch didn't prevent Héctor "Niño" Guerrero from escaping with other members is just mind-boggling 
.
. I'm all for cracking down on gangs and holding those responsible accountable, but we need to make sure our correctional systems are actually doing their job 
.
?
And the fact that they're still able to operate under President Maduro's watch is just mind-boggling. I mean, what's being done to prevent this kind of corruption and abuse of power? 
It's like, we know that gangs are a problem, but this is on a whole different level. And now there's this leader, Niño Guerrero, who's basically a ghost... 
it's like he's got his own little network going on. The US is trying to crack down, but I'm not sure if they're doing enough. It feels like we're just pushing the problem around instead of actually solving it. 
, like what's up with that?! And Tocorón Prison is just a normal prison now? 
They even had a nightclub 
. But anyway, this gang thingy in Venezuela and the US is super concerning 
. I mean, how did it start in prison and then spread to other places? 
Is he like a villain or something? 
It's like they say, you can't put a price on security. The fact that this gang is now operating in the US and committing violent crimes makes me wonder if Maduro's government was truly doing enough to keep its citizens safe. 
On a positive note though, kudos to the Aurora Police Department for taking action against Tren de Aragua. We need more people like them who are actively working to keep our communities safe 
. It's like, can't we all just get along... and keep our communities safe? 
. And what really gets me is how this whole thing started under President Maduro's watch, yet he didn't do anything about it when it happened. It's like, where were the checks and balances? 
I mean, who needs a fancy university when you can just send your most promising gangsters to prison and watch them turn into something even more... interesting? It's not like the government is doing its job or anything 
. Anyway, I guess it's great that Aurora Police Department Chief Todd Chamberlain is "addressing this actively" - code for they're still trying to figure out how to deal with these guys 
. And now we got these US cities dealing with the aftermath 
. Tren de Aragua is like, so out of control 
but now it's like a gang hideout 
. And President Maduro's watch 
. It's crazy that this happened under their supervision 
.
. And the FBI is still trying to catch Niño Guerrero 
but he's on the run 
. Let's hope the new development with 2,700 alleged members being arrested 
!
And now these guys are wreaking havoc all over the US and Venezuela itself... it's crazy how much damage one leader can do, Hector Guerrero is on the FBI's most wanted list for crying out loud! 
like remember when this all started in aurora police department chief todd chamberlain is all "we're addressing this actively effectively and immediately" but still
. And now he's running wild in US cities, committing crimes and holding people hostage for ransom