The leader of the armed wing of the Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua has been apprehended in a collaborative operation involving authorities from Colombia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The Colombian National Police confirmed the arrest of José Antonio Márquez Morales, also known as Caracas, in the city of Valledupar. He is alleged to have played a significant role in overseeing the group’s logistics and finances related to activities such as extortion, drug trafficking, and smuggling.
Tren de Aragua has drawn international attention, particularly from the U.S. government. Former President Donald Trump designated it as a terrorist organization and previously facilitated the deportation of over 250 individuals he identified as members of the gang to a prison in El Salvador. This designation and the actions taken against the gang underscore ongoing concerns about organized crime in the region.
Colombia’s National Police Director, Carlos Fernando Triana Beltrán, indicated that Márquez Morales was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice, which serves as an international request for law enforcement to detain an individual pending extradition. The announcement of his arrest coincides with rising tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela, particularly related to anti-drug trafficking operations in Latin America. The U.S. has increased its military presence in the Caribbean and recently conducted airstrikes on vessels purportedly transporting drugs from Venezuela to the U.S.
The Trump administration has accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of collaborating with drug traffickers and is offering a reward of up to $50 million for information leading to his capture. In response, Maduro has strongly denied the allegations and defended his government’s efforts against drug trafficking.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yezvz4nppo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss