Venezuela: Authorities Launch Manhunt for Tren de Aragua Leader Hector Guerrero Flores

A notorious Tren de Aragua gang leader, Hector Guerrero Flores, managed to evade capture as 11,000 soldiers and police raided Tocoron prison in Venezuela, a facility he had essentially controlled, according to BBC.

Guerrero Flores, aged 39 and hailing from Aragua state, has had a long history of involvement with Tocoron prison, serving for over a decade.

In 2012, he orchestrated an escape from Tocoron by bribing the guards. Subsequently rearrested in 2013, he found a way to consolidate his power within the prison, effectively making it the command center of the Tren de Aragua transnational crime gang.

Under Guerrero Flores's influence, the prison transformed into a quasi-luxurious resort with amenities such as a small zoo, a nightclub, and a swimming pool.

Inmates enjoyed access to a makeshift bank, a betting shop, a restaurant, and even a baseball diamond.

Families of inmates lived within the compound, and children marveled at the animal enclosure, where flamingos and ostriches roamed.

South America Authorities Launch Manhunt For Venezuela Gang Leader

The extensive security operation at Tocoron prison was launched in response to pressure from Latin American leaders.

Although President Nicolás Maduro deemed the raid a success, the discovery of Guerrero Flores's escape during the operation was not disclosed publicly until three days later when the Venezuelan interior ministry offered a reward for information leading to his capture, THAIGER noted.

Presently, authorities in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, and Venezuela are collaborating in a coordinated effort to locate and apprehend Hector Guerrero Flores.

Despite his escape, President Maduro has pledged to severely punish those responsible for the corruption that enabled inmates to become aware of the security operation.

The search for Hector Guerrero Flores remains ongoing as South America authorities strive to bring him to justice and dismantle the criminal network he heads.

Venezuela Gang Leader Hector Guerrero Flores Life in Tocoron Prison

Reports suggest that Guerrero Flores enjoyed substantial freedom inside and outside the prison. In 2016, police found him at a yacht party, calmly presenting them with a safe conduct document issued by Venezuela's prison service, permitting him to travel freely throughout the country, per KOOL.

According to Humberto Prado, director of the Venezuelan Prison Observatory NGO, Guerrero Flores lived a life of privilege within the prison and likely returned there because of the security it afforded him. Tocoron prison was devoid of rivals, allowing him to oversee the expansion of his criminal network, the Tren de Aragua.

Under his leadership, this transnational crime gang expanded its operations into several South American countries, diversifying its criminal activities, which included extortion, sex trafficking, contract killings, and kidnappings.

The audacious escape of Venezuela gang leader Hector Guerrero Flores from the opulent Tocoron prison has sent shockwaves throughout the region, prompting a far-reaching manhunt.

Authorities are determined to bring the elusive gang leader to justice and dismantle his extensive criminal empire.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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