Who is Larry Changa, one of the three leaders of the Tren de Aragua gang arrested in Colombia?

Colombian authorities arrested Larry Amaury Álvarez, alias Larry Changa, one of the main leaders and co-founders of the criminal organization Tren de Aragua, in the department of Quindío.

“Larry Changa, one of the three founders of the Aragua Train in Colombia, wanted by Venezuela and Chile with an arrest warrant in 196 countries by Interpol, was captured by the National Police,” said President Gustavo Petro on his X account.

Petro accompanied his announcement with a video exposing some of the crimes attributed to Larry Changa, especially in Chile, where he lived before moving to Colombia.

The Ministry of Defense confirmed the news on its X account and detailed that the Police continue to make significant progress in their efforts to dismantle the gang of Venezuelan origin.

The arrest took place in a rural area of ​​Circasia, Quindío, where the subject, wanted by 196 countries, was arrested. In Venezuela and Chile he was wanted for crimes such as terrorism, arms and ammunition trafficking, aggravated extortion and kidnapping, Efe reports.

According to the Colombian Ministry of Defense, the detainee arrived in Colombia in 2022 using falsified documents. He was in charge of the territorial expansion of the Aragua Train in Colombia, according to official information.

Colombian authorities sent a message to the leaders of the criminal organization and assured that they will continue to pursue them until they are captured and brought to justice for their crimes and for disturbing the peace of Colombians.

Recently, the police also arrested the head of the criminal organization in Bogotá, Salomón Fernández Torres, known as El Salomón.

In the Tocorón prison in the state of Aragua, Larry Amaury Álvarez became one of the most trusted lieutenants of Héctor Rustherford Guerrero Flores, alias Niño Guerrero, who is the main leader of the criminal organization.

What is known about the Niño Guerrero, leader of the Aragua Train?

Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores could be a refugee in the United States, according to reports The New York Post citing US authorities.

This gang has expanded throughout Latin America, including Colombia, Chile and Peru, and is responsible for numerous crimes such as extortion, drug trafficking, kidnappings and murders.

“Law enforcement officials say gang leader Hector Guerrero escaped from prison after a Venezuelan military raid last year and may be hiding in the United States,” the paper reported.

The Ministry of Interior, Justice and Peace of Venezuela is offering a reward of $250,000 dollars for information about Niño Guerrero, who gave orders from the Tocorón prison in Aragua.

He managed to escape before a police and military operation last September, and since then his whereabouts have been unknown. Journalist Ronna Rísquez, author of the book The Aragua Train: The gang that revolutionized organized crime in Latin America, He said in an interview with Univision that there is no official or unofficial data on his whereabouts since the prison was taken over in September 2023.

US authorities have not confirmed whether Niño Guerrero is in their territory. Venezuela has also not provided information on the fate of the leader of the Tren de Aragua after the operation in Tocorón.

The FBI has prioritized the investigation of the expansion of the Tren de Aragua in New York, taking advantage of the border crisis and establishing possible alliances with the Mara Salvatrucha.

Keep reading:
• New York Police warn of an increase in crimes committed by the Tren de Aragua gang
• Former Venezuelan mayor seeking asylum in the US issued alarming warning about the Aragua Train
• A member of the Tren de Aragua gang wanted by Peruvian authorities was arrested in New York