I've been writing for PJ Media for just over a year now, and during that time, I've heard a lot of people say the Venezuelan prison gang turned terrorist organization Tren de Aragua doesn't exist, and if it does, it's no big deal. Just a little street gang, they say. And by "they," I mean many Democrats, most of the Mainstream Media, and, well, Nicolás Maduro. Not exactly the company I like to keep.
Meanwhile, folks like Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio, and some of my favorite congresspeople have maintained that TdA not only exists, but Maduro has weaponized it, sending it into the United States to terrorize our communities. Some of Maduro's own former right-hand men have confirmed it. Joe Biden's open border policies and softness on the Maduro regime helped make it possible. From that whole apartment building situation in Colorado to the murder of women in Georgia, we've seen proof of that.
Well, here's some more evidence for you.
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), "a federal grand jury in the District of Nebraska has returned two indictments charging 54 individuals for their roles in a large conspiracy to deploy malware and steal millions of dollars from ATMs in the United States."
The first indictment "charges 22 defendants with offenses corresponding to their role in the conspiracy, including conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank burglary and fraud and related activity in connection with computers, and conspiracy to commit money laundering."
It also alleges that Tren de Aragua "has used jackpotting to steal millions of dollars in the United States and then transferred the proceeds among its members and associates to conceal the illegally obtained cash."
Jackpotting is a cyber-physical crime that allows criminals to manipulate ATMs to dispense money at a rapid rate, bypassing normal operations and stealing cash from financial institutions. It's often described as "sophisticated" — not typically something a random street-gang thug has the capability or know-how to do.
Here's more from that first indictment from the DOJ:
One of the individuals named in the Indictment is Jimena Romina Araya Navarro, an alleged Tren de Aragua leader and Venezuelan entertainer who was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). OFAC’s press release alleged that Araya Navarro reportedly helped the notorious head of TdA, Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores (a.k.a. “Niño Guerrero”) escape from the Tocorón prison in Venezuela in 2012, and others in this network have laundered money for TdA leaders. Jimena Romina Araya Navarro was indicted by the grand jury for the District of Nebraska for material support to Tren De Aragua for factual allegations stemming from TdA’s nationwide ATM jackpotting scheme that included burglaries of many ATMs located in Nebraska. Jimena Romina Araya Navarro has been publicly photographed at parties and social events with the alleged head of TdA Nino Guerrero.
The second indictment "charges 32 individuals and alleges 56 counts including one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit bank burglary and computer fraud, 18 counts of bank fraud, 18 counts of bank burglary, and 18 counts of damage to computers."
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"TdA poses a direct threat to our communities both here in the Midwest and across our country. This violent terrorist organization relies on a wide range of criminal activities to generate revenue supporting their campaigns of violence and terror. This case highlights TdA’s plot to deploy sophisticated malware targeting financial institutions across the U.S., syphoning millions of dollars from American banks to fund acts of terrorism," said Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Omaha Field Office.
HSI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito added that "Tren de Aragua is not just a criminal gang; they are a ruthless terrorist organization that preys on communities, spreads fear, and bankrolls violence across borders."
That's so obvious at this point that I'm not sure how so many on the left can argue against it, but they will find a way. And it's one of the many reasons why I have absolutely no problem with any action President Trump wants to take against the Maduro regime.
People run around yelling, "Trump is starting a war with Venezuela." First of all, no. He's not starting anything. As I've written for months, Venezuela has been using irregular warfare against us for years, and this is just one of many examples. Secondly, the people who live in Venezuela largely support the United States' actions as well. We're not at war with the country.
What we are doing is protecting our country and our hemisphere from a regime that is holding millions of people hostage, from Canada to Chile. It's a fight against the organized crime that is taking over the region and leading to everything from violence and drug deaths to mass migration and overwhelmed infrastructure and services, not to mention the ability for bad actors from the Middle East and Asia to come in and take advantage of our weaknesses. It's a problem we simply can't overlook anymore.
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