Connection to Nicolás Maduro The Maduro regime has been accused of supporting and facilitating the growth of TDA. Under Maduro’s presidency, Venezuela’s prisons were notorious for their lack of security and corruption, allowing hardened criminals to escape and join the gang. Some researchers believe that the Maduro government’s “prison reform” policies, aimed at reducing incarceration rates, inadvertently created a surge in gang membership and violence.

The Tren de Aragua (TDA) gang is a transnational criminal organization originating from Venezuela, specifically from the Aragua state’s Tocorón prison. Founded between 2013 and 2015, the gang has grown rapidly, exploiting the Venezuelan refugee crisis and spreading its influence across Latin America and the United States.