FBI warns Venezuelan government uses Tren de Aragua as proxy in "irregular warfare" as Trump administration charges gang leader under terrorism laws
By willowt // 2025-04-25
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  • The Trump administration charged Jose Enrique Martinez Flores, a high-ranking Tren de Aragua (TdA) member, with conspiracy to support terrorism, drug trafficking and terrorism-related crimes under new laws targeting transnational gangs. If convicted, he faces life imprisonment.
  • The FBI accuses Venezuela’s Maduro regime of using TdA as a proxy to destabilize the U.S., targeting dissidents and undermining security—contradicting an earlier leaked intelligence report claiming no direct ties between the gang and Venezuela.
  • A dispute within U.S. intelligence agencies emerged, with the White House accusing “deep state” actors of leaking misleading reports to undermine Trump’s policies. The FBI and DOJ emphasize TdA as a growing national security threat, backed by recent arrests and RICO charges.
  • DOJ’s Operation Take Back America and Joint Task Force Vulcan now prioritize TdA, treating it as a terrorist organization. Recent arrests in New York (27 members) and Houston have disrupted drug trafficking and sex exploitation rings linked to the gang.
  • The case reflects a broader U.S. strategy to combat foreign-linked criminal-terrorist hybrids. The administration frames TdA’s activities as foreign-directed warfare, marking a shift toward aggressive enforcement and transparency in intelligence.
In a dramatic escalation of U.S. efforts to combat foreign-directed criminal threats, the Trump administration on Wednesday announced its first terrorism-related charges against a high-ranking member of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang, while the FBI accused the Venezuelan government of using the militant group to wage “irregular warfare” against the United States. This dual-pronged legal and intelligence offensive comes amid a escalating feud within the U.S. intelligence community, where leaked assessments disputes claims of Venezuelan state sponsorship—conflicts that DNI Tulsi Gabbard has now escalated to federal prosecutors. The Justice Department’s Southern District of Texas charged Jose Enrique Martinez Flores, 24, a Bogotá-based TdA leader, with conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, international drug trafficking and terrorism-related crimes under newly enacted provisions targeting transnational gangs. Flores, arrested in Colombia in late March, faces life imprisonment if convicted. His indictment marks a pivotal moment in the administration’s broader “Operation Take Back America,” which combines anti-immigration enforcement with heightened counterterrorism measures against TdA, labeled “the most dangerous gang in the country” by New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

FBI warns of Tren de Aragua as Venezuelan proxy, undermining U.S. security

The FBI’s newly disclosed intelligence assessment raises the stakes, claiming TdA’s operations within the U.S. are not just criminal but part of a foreign government strategy. The report alleges Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s regime uses the gang to destabilize American communities, undermine public safety and attack political dissidents. “They are using Tren de Aragua members as proxy actors to threaten, abduct and kill members of the Venezuelan diaspora critical of Maduro,” stated a senior administration official cited by Fox News. This analysis contradicts an earlier interagency report leaked a week earlier, which claimed “no direct coordination between TdA and the Maduro regime.” That disputed document, originating from the National Intelligence Council, faced immediate backlash from the White House, which accused intelligence officials of “historical[s]” leaking propaganda. “Deep state actors have resorted to using their propaganda arm to attack the President’s successful policies,” the White House declared, as DNI Gabbard referred the matter to the DOJ for possible prosecution.

Intelligence clash reveals Deep State pushback against Trump policies

The sudden transparency in high-level intelligence disputes underscores a widening rift between the Trump administration and career bureaucrats, particularly in the post-Biden intel apparatus. The FBI’s stance—highlighting imminent threats from TdA’s drug networks and human trafficking—contrasts sharply with the leaked report’s dismissal of Venezuelan coordination. “This information … is the most robust and accurate” because it’s grounded in domestic law enforcement operations, argued an ODNI official, emphasizing the Trump administration’s focus on tactical, street-level intelligence over foreign-focused assessments “limited” by past priorities. The FBI’s findings find critical validation in recent operations: the April 23 takedown of 27 TdA members in New York City—the first use of RICO charges against the gang—and a Houston-based operation this week that disrupted cocaine shipments destined for the U.S. Tren de Aragua’s rise as a U.S. national security threat began under the Biden administration, when lax border policies allowed thousands of Venezuelan migrants—including gang members—to enter America freely. Since Trump’s return, homeland security officials claim over 1,500 TdA members have been deported or arrested.

DOJ makes history with terror charges, anchors anti-cartel “Operation Take Back America”

Wednesday’s prosecution of Flores under federal terrorism statutes marks a legal milestone. “TdA is not a street gang—it is a highly structured terrorist organization,” stated Attorney General Pam Bondi, who spearheaded the DOJ’s reclassification of the gang. Flores, identified as a “inner circle” leader in Bogotá, faces life in prison for allegedly funding TdA’s operations through cocaine trafficking and providing “services and personnel” to bolster its activities in Latin America and beyond. The case combines customary drug charges with terrorism financing allegations, a strategy mirrored in the RICO indictments handed down in New York Monday. “These are depraved criminals…with absolutely no regard for human life,” Commissioner Tisch said at a press conference announcing the 27 arrests, which included the seizure of 33 firearms and intelligence into sex trafficking rings targeting Venezuelan women. The Justice Department’s Joint Task Force Vulcan, traditionally focused on dismantling MS-13, has now prioritized TdA, leveraging partnerships across 14 federal districts and countries like Colombia to disrupt the gang’s drug-smuggling and retaliation networks. The operation symbolizes a broader enforcement philosophy: treating TdA as a state-backed terror group requires integrating counter-narcotics with counterterrorism tools.

A new chapter in combating transnational threats

As the U.S. nearly doubles down on designating foreign entities as national security threats, this case resonates far beyond TdA’s operations. The swift indictment of Flores and the FBI’s unambiguous accusation against Maduro’s regime showcase an administration determined to dismantle institutional opacity. “The last election changed that in ways we are just now coming to grips with,” wrote analyst Joshua C., as journalists and policymakers grapple with questions of trust in intelligence. Yet the stakes are personal for Americans. TdA’s methods mirror those of nonstate militant groups: extorting communities, manipulating migration flows and destabilizing rival governments. With TdA’s networks expanding into South America and the U.S. simultaneously, this case is a critical test of whether transparency and aggressive enforcement can neutralize threats that blur the lines between organized crime and asymmetric warfare. As Flores awaits trial in Colombia, the Trump administration’s narrative has crystallized: TdA’s presence in the U.S. is not a domestic criminal problem but an existential challenge from foreign adversaries—and one it will pursue “to the halls of justice.” Sources include: 100percentfedup.com Justice.gov CNN.com
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