Members of the Venezuelan criminal gang “Tren de Aragua” face the death penalty in Texas

Three men linked to the Venezuelan criminal gang “El Tren de Aragua” are under arrest and will soon be sent to Texas to face murder charges that could carry the death penalty.

Ehiker Alexander Morales Mendoza, 38; Carlos Luis Zambrano Bolívar, 25, and Jhonata Nahin Toro Gonzalez, 22, are accused of kidnapping and murdering a 33-year-old man, whose body was found lifeless in August in Farmers Branch, a town outside Dallas.

Morales Mendoza was found in Las Cruces, New Mexico, while Zambrano Bolívar and Toro Gonzalez were found in Aurora, Colorado. Authorities are currently looking for a fourth suspect, Jhonny Jesus Martinez Serrano, 29, whose whereabouts are unknown.

“The Aragua Train” in the United States

The arrest of the three men in different cities in the United States comes at a time when fears about violence associated with the feared criminal organization take over the presidential campaign.

Republican candidate Donald Trump, who has made his criticism of President Joe Biden’s immigration policy a central point of his campaign, frequently accuses the administration of giving free entry into the country to members of the Venezuelan gang, known for its excessive use of violence.

Likewise, the presence of the organization in American cities has also generated alarm among the country’s police authorities. Last week, NBC News reported that the Department of Homeland Security had identified more than 600 immigrants within the United States who could be connected to the criminal organization.

What are they accused of?

Those arrested are accused of kidnapping Nilzult Arneaud Petit, who was found dead on August 24.

According to Farmers Branch authorities, the victim worked with the defendants in an ATM robbery operation and the suspects had accused him of keeping money that he was supposed to give them. After the kidnapping of Arneaud Petit, “the suspects confronted Petit and demanded payment, which he was unwilling or unable to provide,” the Farmers Branch Police Department said in a press release.

Texas is one of the states that has reported the highest number of criminal cases linked to the Venezuelan group. In July, the White House declared the “Tren de Aragua” as a Transnational Criminal Organization.

Written by: Oscar El Blue

Members of the Venezuelan criminal gang “Tren de Aragua” face the death penalty in Texas