Venezuela Reports Facilitation of Tren de Aragua Gang's US Infiltration

A recently declassified U.S. intelligence assessment found that some Venezuelan government officials have facilitated the migration of Tren de Aragua (TDA) gang members into the United States, aiming to destabilize governments and undermine public safety. However, the report concluded that the Maduro regime itself does not have a formal policy of cooperating with or directing TDA’s movement and operations in the U.S., and most intelligence agencies judge claims that top Venezuelan leaders are orchestrating these actions as not credible. The intelligence notes a permissive environment in Venezuela allows TDA to operate and that some mid- to low-level officials may profit from the gang's illicit activities, but the regime often treats TDA as a threat rather than a proxy. While the FBI maintains that certain Venezuelan officials use TDA members as proxies to advance destabilization goals in the U.S. and other countries, this view is not universally held across all intelligence agencies. The findings challenge claims made by former President Trump that the Maduro regime is orchestrating a coordinated TDA invasion of the U.S., though they acknowledge a mix of facilitation, tolerance, and confrontation by Venezuelan authorities. Overall, the assessment depicts a complex and decentralized relationship between the Venezuelan regime and TDA, involving some facilitation but not organized, top-down direction.