US intel analysis of Tren de Aragua misses key aspect of Maduro regime: expert

A former high-ranking officer within the Venezuelan military disputes a latest report from the American intelligence group on the huge tren The Aragua gang current all through the nation.

Jose Arocha, a former Lieutenant -Kolonel within the Venezuelan military, advised Fox Information Digital that the latest Intel group report denies the Aragua, coupled to the Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro misses an vital facet of the US and a precedence and animosity and an animosity and an animosity and an animosity and an animosity and an animosity and an animosity and an animosity and animosity Asymmetrical warfare.

Tren de Aragua, also called TDA, is a violent Venezuelan gang who terrorizes American cities lately. The group is linked to high-profile murders such because the homicide of the Georgia Nursing pupil Laken Riley and the seizure of a whole condominium constructing in Aurora, Colorado.

As considered one of his first actions again within the Oval Workplace, President Donald Trump has commissioned the Ministry of Overseas Affairs to designate TDA a ‘overseas terrorist group’.

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Jose Arocha, a former lieutenant -colonel within the Venezuelan military (El Salvador Press Presidency Workplace/Anadolu by way of Getty Photographs and Middle for A Safe Free Society)

Talking with Fox Information Digital Through Zoom, mentioned Arocha, a nationwide safety professional on the Middle for A Safe Free Society, that he agrees with the actions of the Trump authorities in opposition to Tren de Aragua, of which he thinks it’s an “asymmetrical warfare” instrument of the US.

“The Maduro regime doesn’t must ship troops to the US. It sends criminals as an alternative,” he mentioned. “TDA is a plug-and-play-up-collected in jail, deployed overseas.”

Nonetheless, Arocha’s statements distinction with a brand new public memo that was launched final month by American intelligence providers that denied a stable connection between the federal government of Maduro in Caracas and the gang.

“Though the tolerant surroundings of Venezuela TDA allows operation, the Maduro regime in all probability has no coverage to work with TDA and the TDA motion doesn’t result in and operations in the US,” the report says.

The report says that the intelligence group has based mostly its conclusion “on the Venezuelan legislation enforcement actions that present the regime as a risk; an uncomfortable mixture of cooperation and confrontation as an alternative of top-down tips [that] Characterize the ties of the regime with different armed teams; And the decentralized make-up from TDA that will make such a relationship logistics difficult. “

Within the meantime, Arocha mentioned that “the lacking level right here is that the intelligence report is simply too slim a lens concerning the TDA.”

“It is about crime and migration, however they miss the battle -dimension,” he mentioned. “They miss that for the Maduro regime the US is the enemy, the enemy has been for years.”

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President Nicolás Maduro (Jesus Vargas/Getty photos)

“The TDA is just not a gang,” he continued. “It’s the enabler of the Venezuelan regime within the hybrid battle technique, the asymmetrical tour as a result of battle. That’s the lacking level. And that’s the level that explains an area gang in additional than 10 nations, together with the US. That’s unimaginable, and that isn’t potential and not using a state sponsor behind them.”

Whereas the report factors to legislation enforcement actions that the Maduro authorities has taken in opposition to TDA, Arocha defined that Venezuelan prisons in actuality, together with the “Tocorón” jail the place the gang began, look extra like resour resorts.

“Tocorón, [which] They mentioned the epicenter of crime was in Venezuela, it was not a jail, it was a palace for organized crime. Full tools, we now have a zoo, evening golf equipment and even a swimming pool for the prisoners there, “he mentioned.

Arocha additionally acknowledged that the 2023 raid the Venezuelan authorities on Tocorón appears to be “choreographed” and that vital TDA management may escape as a result of beforehand made tunnels.

“Whereas the Optica regime was given to fight crime, the mobility of TDA remained intact,” Arocha advised Fox Information Digital.

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This picture exhibits two tren the Aragua -Rangers who’re caught on the southern border. (US Border Patrol)

The Intel report admitted that the escaped TDA members “might have been assisted by Venezuelan navy and political leaders at a low stage.” However for Arocha the connection goes on to the highest.

He pointed to the kidnapping and homicide of the Venezuelan political dissident Ronald Ojeda in Chile, who, According to ReutersIs investigated by the Chilean authorities as a potential tren the Aragua operation sponsored by the Maduro authorities.

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Reuters reported in March that Chilean legal professional -general Angel Valencia mentioned that the homicide of Ojeda “doesn’t have the traits of a standard crime” and “all proof that we now have on this state of the investigation lets us conclude {that a} cell or group linked to the Aragua that motivated the Aragua from a political nature.”

The outlet additionally reported that the Venezuelan authorities denied the accusations as unfounded.

Arocha additional pointed to former Maduro Vice -President Tareck El Aissami, who has ties with Hamas and Hezbollah, as proof that the Venezuelan authorities is embedded with the worst enemies in America.

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On this hand -out photograph of the Salvadoran authorities, guards accompany the prisoners who’re reportedly linked to prison organizations in Cecot on March 16, 2025, in Tecoluca, El Salvador. (Salvadoran authorities by way of Getty photos)

El Aissami was arrested for accusation of corruption and is at present in jail.

“He additionally has a powerful affect with Iran and China and Russia. In the intervening time he’s in jail, which implies that he lives in jail within the palace,” Arochha seen, smiling.

“The Venezuelan regime is a proxy from Russia, China and Iran, particularly China in the meanwhile,” he continued. “They use Venezuela [to] Create chaos in Latin -America, particularly … indirectly confronted with the US, however not directly, utilizing criminals, utilizing disinformation, with the assistance of each device they’ve. “

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In response, Arocha insisted on the Trump administration to proceed to observe a whole authorities strategy when combating TDA. He urged the administration to “enhance our scope” by contacting Latin -American nations with expertise with TDA, such because the Chilean authorities.

“They now have an acquaintance concerning the TDA. We’ve got to know what they’ve discovered about and we now have to place collectively all of the items to have the large entire as an alternative of the native,” he mentioned. “After which I’m positive that we’ll be lacking and the principle connection in Caracas.”