Colombia Nabs Top Tren de Aragua Leader With Venezuela’s Help

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The arrest of a high-ranking Tren de Aragua member marks another significant blow to the gang’s operations in Colombia and offers further proof that the protection it once received from Venezuelan authorities is long gone.

On November 15, Colombian police, in collaboration with Venezuela’s criminal investigation unit (Cuerpo de Investigaciones Científicas, Penales y Criminalísticas – CICPC), apprehended Jeison Alexander Lorca Salazar, alias “Jeison Comino,” in Colombia’s Santander department.

Lorca Salazar was second-in-command for Tren de Aragua’s Colombian operations, according to Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro. He was also among Venezuela’s 10 most wanted criminals, with a $50,000 reward for his capture in Venezuela.

SEE ALSO: Tren de Aragua Factions Persist Despite Venezuela’s Crackdown

After verifying his identity using a drone-mounted camera, police swooped in to capture him at a luxury country house in the municipality of Los Santos, where he was spending the weekend.

Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab announced plans to expedite Lorca Salazar’s extradition, further signaling Venezuela’s readiness to assist in dismantling Tren de Aragua’s cross-border influence, “so that this dangerous criminal can be brought before the Venezuelan justice system as soon as possible,” his office posted on Instagram.

This is the latest in a string of arrests of leading Tren de Aragua members in Colombia in recent months, including on July 1, when police captured one of its founders and main leaders, Larry Álvarez Nuñez, alias “Larry Changa,” in Colombia’s Quindío department.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan authorities have ramped up efforts against Tren de Aragua’s satellite gangs in its former stronghold of Aragua state, where the gang once operated with relative immunity. This shift followed the September 2023 seizure of Tocorón prison, which had served as the group’s operational hub and symbol of unchecked control.

InSight Crime Analysis The Venezuelan government has made clear that Tren de Aragua can no longer operate with impunity in its home country. Jeison Comino’s arrest underscores Venezuela’s willingness to assist Colombian authorities in ensuring the gang finds no safe haven there either.

Once protected by President Nicolás Maduro’s administration, Tren de Aragua has faced mounting pressure since Venezuelan authorities took over Tocorón prison.

The gang’s successful expansion across South America, particularly in Colombia, Peru, and Chile, created international demands for Maduro to address the issue. By raiding the prison – which Tren de Aragua’s leaders ruled as de facto wardens – Maduro sought to distance his government from potential accusations it supports the transnational criminal group.

However, Venezuela’s cooperation with its neighbors to target the gang abroad likely comes with some politically influenced caveats.

Criticizing Maduro’s human rights record can diminish a country’s chances of obtaining cooperation from Venezuelan authorities in combating organized crime, even when the targeted group is regarded as an enemy.

SEE ALSO: After Venezuela Elections, Criminal Groups Work For or Against the Regime

Maduro has essentially become a pariah among most of his neighbors in the region, and so is likely keen to maintain his relatively positive relationship with Colombia’s Petro. Offering law enforcement or intelligence assistance serves to bolster the Colombian president’s domestic agenda while helping Maduro project an image of cooperation.

But in other countries, cooperation has been less fruitful. Officials in multiple countries, including Chile – which signed a police cooperation agreement with Venezuela in January 2024 – have told InSight Crime that it is difficult to get information from their Venezuelan counterparts.

As Chile and Peru continue their efforts to combat Tren de Aragua, they may find their progress hindered by the complex interplay between Venezuela’s law enforcement and its political dynamics.

Featured image: Jeison Alexander Lorca Salazar following his arrest in Colombia. Credit: @petrogustavo

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