Argentina designates Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua as ‘terrorist’ group

Argentina’s government has added Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua to its official register of groups “linked to acts of terrorism,” following in the footsteps of the United States.

In a resolution published Tuesday in the Official Gazette, President Javier Milei’s government warned that the gang is a threat to “national security,” despite the lack of criminal activity linked to them nationwide.

“The decision responds to intelligence reports that warn of the threat that this organisation represents to national security,” the Security Ministry said in a statement.

El Tren de Aragua was founded in 2014 in Venezuela. It is involved in kidnappings, robberies, drug-trafficking, prostitution and extortion, as well as illegal gold-mining and human-trafficking. The Venezuelan gang has since expanded its activities to several countries on the continent.

Milei’s resolution arrives just six days after US President Donald Trump's administration designated Tren de Aragua, as well as six Mexican cartels and the MS-13 gang, as ‘global terrorist’ organisations.

The move is the latest example of Argentina's dramatic shift in foreign policy under President Milei’s government. 

Since taking office in December 2023, the head of state has made it clear that Israel and the United States are his main allies. 

Last week, Milei met Trump on the sidelines of the conservative CPAC summit in Washington.

Earlier this week,  Argentina abstained from supporting a UN resolution calling on Russian troops to leave Ukraine, despite the fact that Milei has previously expressed support for Volodimir Zelenskyy, whom he met only one month ago.

– TIMES/AFP