Colombia captures a suspected Tren de Aragua gang leader as US security ties deepen | National News

On Aug 29, 2026

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian security forces captured a suspected senior leader of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, the U.S. Southern Command announced on Friday, hailing the arrest as a result of stronger military cooperation between the historically close allies.

The capture on Thursday of Luis Saúl Pérez Nieto, who Colombian authorities described as having coordinated the gang’s weapons and drug-trafficking networks across the region, offers an early sign of how rapidly the two countries have intensified their joint efforts against organized crime under Colombia’s new conservative president, Abelardo de la Espriella.

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