World News
Colombian forces capture suspected Tren de Aragua gang leader
The arrest of Luis Saúl Pérez Nieto highlights expanding counter-narcotics and security cooperation between Colombia and the United States.
The short version
- Colombian security forces, backed by U.S. agencies, captured suspected senior Tren de Aragua leader Luis Saúl Pérez Nieto on Thursday.
- The U.S. requested his arrest and extradition on charges including terrorism, money laundering, and drug trafficking.
- The operation marks an intensification of joint U.S.-Colombia security operations under Colombia's new conservative president, Abelardo de la Espriella.
- Separately, Chile announced the extradition of two alleged Tren de Aragua leaders from the U.S. and Colombia connected to the 2024 killing of a Venezuelan dissident.
Key facts
- Colombian security forces captured suspected Tren de Aragua senior leader Luis Saúl Pérez Nieto, also known as 'Páez' and 'Nairobi', on Thursday with support from the DEA and U.S. Southern Command.[Associated Press]
- Colombian authorities accused Pérez Nieto of coordinating arms and drug trafficking across the region and leading the criminal gang's expansion into Peru.[Associated Press]
- The U.S. requested Pérez Nieto's extradition on charges including terrorism, money laundering, drug trafficking, and criminal conspiracy.[Associated Press]
- Chilean officials announced the extradition of Rafael Enrique Gámez Salas from the U.S. and Alfredo Camilo Carrillo Ortiz from Colombia over charges linked to the 2024 killing of former Venezuelan army Lt. Ronald Ojeda.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- The U.S. administration has not publicly detailed the specific case or evidence against Pérez Nieto, and the DEA did not respond to questions regarding the exact charges or its operational role.[Associated Press]