The death of Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, known as "Niño Guerrero," by the US military is unlikely to significantly weaken the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua because other senior figures are positioned to assume leadership roles, according to Chilean prosecutor Héctor Barros.
Barros, who coordinates organized crime and homicide investigations in Chile's Metropolitan Region, said that Guerrero's death is important for ongoing investigations across the region but is not expected to dismantle the organization.
"Indudably, it is very important news for the investigations that remain open and active in Chile," Barros told El Pais, adding that the development could lead to changes in how the group's criminal structures are managed across different countries.
At the same time, Barros said Tren de Aragua is not dependent on a single leader. He identified Johan José Romero, known as "Johan Petrica," and Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano, alias "El Viejo," as influential figures who could take over responsibilities previously held by Guerrero.
"This is not a criminal structure sustained solely by the leadership of Niño Guerrero," Barros said. "Most likely, the power he had will be assumed by another person, who could perfectly be El Viejo or Johan Petrica."
Guerrero, founder and longtime leader of Tren de Aragua, was killed during an operation coordinated between Venezuelan authorities and the U.S. Southern Command, according to announcements made by President Donald Trump on Friday. The operation took place months after the United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and accused his government of cooperating with the criminal organization.
The group, which originated in Venezuela's Tocorón prison, has expanded across much of Latin America and has been linked to extortion, kidnapping, human trafficking, drug trafficking and other crimes.
Barros has been at the center of major investigations targeting the organization in Chile. Earlier this month, authorities arrested 19 people in what prosecutors described as one of the largest money-laundering cases connected to Tren de Aragua in the region.
Investigators allege the network moved approximately $85 million between 2022 and 2025 through bank accounts and front companies, using proceeds from extortion, sexual exploitation, drug trafficking and other criminal activities.
According to Barros, evidence gathered in that investigation suggests the group maintained reporting structures that extended to senior Tren de Aragua leaders, underscoring the organization's ability to operate across borders even as authorities target its top figures.
