General Francis L. Donovon, head of US Southern Command, thanked the Bolivarian National Armed Forces for their role in the assassination of Tren de Aragua leader Niño Guerrero, describing it as a "joint operation" between the two countries. The statement marks the first on-record acknowledgment of Venezuelan military involvement in the strike.
General Francis L. Donovon, the commander of US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), publicly thanked Venezuela's Bolivarian National Armed Forces for their role in the elimination of Tren de Aragua leader Niño Guerrero, calling it a "joint operation" between the two countries. The statement, released this morning, is the first on-record acknowledgment by a senior US military official that Venezuelan forces directly participated in the operation alongside US personnel.
The development sharply escalates the diplomatic dimension of the operation. As The Zioneer reported on June 7, President Donald Trump earlier confirmed the strike and released footage of the bombing, while the Pentagon confirmed the operation. Until now, no official source had characterized the Venezuelan military role as collaborative.
Niño Guerrero was the high-profile leader of Tren de Aragua, a transnational criminal-terror organization that originated in Venezuela. His killing was confirmed by US officials on June 7, following an operation by SOUTHCOM in coordination with Venezuelan authorities. Donovon's statement now places on record that the coordination was operational — not merely intelligence-sharing.
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