EPISODE · Jun 16, 2026 · 7 MIN
Strike on Venezuela gang leader may open door to mineral wealth
from The World: Latest Stories · host Joyce Hackel
The US Southern Command airstrike on a compound in Venezuela last week killed Tren de Aragua leader Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, alias “Niño Guerrero.” Guerrero was hiding for many years in a vast strip of land in southern Venezuela, rich with gold and cobalt. Phil Gunson, Caracas-based analyst for the International Crisis Group, tells The World’s Host Carolyn Beeler that eliminating Guerrero may be one “first, small step” to opening up the mining region to US interests.
What this episode covers
The US Southern Command airstrike on a compound in Venezuela last week killed Tren de Aragua leader Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, alias “Niño Guerrero.” Guerrero was hiding for many years in a vast strip of land in southern Venezuela, rich with gold and cobalt. Phil Gunson, Caracas-based analyst for the International Crisis Group, tells The World’s Host Carolyn Beeler that eliminating Guerrero may be one “first, small step” to opening up the mining region to US interests.
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Strike on Venezuela gang leader may open door to mineral wealth
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