The Americas | The exodus economy

Latin America’s most powerful new gang built a human-trafficking empire

It took advantage of millions of Venezuelan migrants

Migrants use a rope to cross the Tachira river, the natural border between Colombia and Venezuela.
Image: Getty Images
|BOGOTÁ

By the time Venezuela’s army poured into Tocorón prison, on September 20th, its target had already escaped. For more than a decade Héctor Guerrero Flores, better known as Niño Guerrero, ran Tren de Aragua, the country’s largest gang, from his cell. Mr Guerrero left behind a prison with all the hallmarks of a narco-lair: restaurants and bars, a casino, a baseball ground and a small zoo.

This article appeared in the The Americas section of the print edition under the headline “The exodus economy”

From the November 18th 2023 edition

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