- The government of Venezuela reclaimed control of Tocorón prison in the northern part of the country.
- The prison was previously controlled by inmates from the powerful Tren de Aragua gang.
- It served as the gang’s headquarters and featured luxurious amenities such as a pool, zoo, and nightclub.
Venezuela successfully regained control of Tocorón prison on Wednesday, a facility that had long been under the control of inmates, according to a report by Agence France-Presse.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro deployed over 11,000 troops to retake control of the prison, declaring it a “great success in the fight against criminal organizations.”
The prison had been dominated by the powerful Tren de Aragua gang, who had transformed it into a luxurious complex with amenities like a pool, a zoo with exotic animals including ostriches and flamingos, a nightclub, and a restaurant.
Yuri Cortez/AFP
Tren de Aragua originally started as a construction union for a railway project in Venezuela in 2005 but grew into an international criminal organization with operations in countries like Chile and Colombia, according to the think tank InSight Crime.
In addition to engaging in activities such as human trafficking, extortion, and migrant smuggling, the gang is also suspected of involvement in arms and drug trafficking.
Yuri Cortez/AFP
The gang’s leader, Héctor Guerrero Flores, who was serving a 17-year sentence for murder and drug trafficking, reportedly escaped. The government has announced a “second phase” operation to capture all escaped criminals.
AFP reported that the prison not only housed inmates but also their relatives. Gladys Hernández, who lived in the prison, said, “I am waiting to hear where they are taking my husband… I was living in there, but they kicked us out.”
However, the closure of the prison is unlikely to be the end of the gang, according to Ronna Rísquez, author of the book “Tren de Aragua: The gang that revolutionized organized crime in Latin America.” She told BBC Mundo, “Their center of operations may have been shut down, but the leaders of this organization and its cells abroad can still operate.”
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
