Tren de Aragua is Venezuela’s most powerful homegrown criminal organization and the only gang of Venezuelan origin that has successfully projected its power abroad. It has evolved from its beginnings as a prison gang into a transnational threat with a diverse criminal portfolio.
This week, Tren de Aragua’s leader in Chile, Carlos González Vaca, alias “Estrella,” was sentenced to life in prison for crimes including two kidnappings — one of which resulted in murder. Prosecutors also secured convictions against 11 other gang members, with total sentences exceeding 300 years.
