Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
The United States imposed sanctions on alleged associates of the Tren de Aragua gang on Wednesday and increased the reward to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of one of the leaders of the criminal group that the Trump administration has designated as a foreign terrorist organization.
actions come just like that chairman donald trumpAuthorities have blamed the gang, which originated in a prison VenezuelaFor being at the root of violence and the illegal drug trade in many American cities. The Tren de Aragua has also become a major reference point in Trump’s crackdown on immigration, along with military strikes against ships suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Venezuelan entertainer Jimena Romina Araya Navarro, known as “Rosita,” on charges of providing material support to Tren de Aragua by helping gang leader Hector Rustenford Guerrero Flores escape from Venezuela’s Tocorón prison in 2012.
Navarro, better known as Rosita for her role on a Venezuelan comedy show, has been linked to Guerrero for years. Local media previously reported that Araya, who is also a showgirl, frequently performed at the prison where Guerrero was once held and founded Tren de Aragua.
Tren de Aragua controlled the prison for several years, during which a nightclub, swimming pool, a grand suite and more facilities were added.
state Department The reward has also been increased for Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano, the first Tren de Aragua member to be added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list, who was charged in January with international cocaine trafficking conspiracy. Previous prizes were up to $3 million.
Mosquera Serrano was indicted in April on charges of providing material support, according to the State Department, after the US designated the gang as a foreign terrorist organization in February.
Trump has repeated his claim – contrary to a declassified US intelligence assessment – that Tren de Aragua is operating under the control of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
“Under President Trump, barbaric terrorist cartels can no longer operate with impunity across our borders,” the Treasury Secretary said. Scott Besant said in a news release. “At President Trump’s direction, we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to isolate these terrorists from the United States and the global financial system and keep American citizens safe.”
,
Jorge Rueda in Caracas, Venezuela contributed to this report.