The U.S. State Department is offering a $15 million reward for information leading to the capture of Juan Gabriel Rivas Núñez, described as a leader of Tren de Aragua. (Foto: Instagram)
The U.S. State Department announced Nov. 5 that it is offering a $15 million reward for information leading to the capture of Juan Gabriel Rivas Núñez, described as one of the leaders of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The announcement also listed an equivalent of more than 82 million Brazilian reais.
The State Department said Rivas Núñez directs the group’s criminal activity in Venezuela and has led its operations since at least 2009. The department also described Tren de Aragua as previously known as “Sindicato Juancho” and characterized Rivas Núñez as second-in-command of what it called the world’s fourth-largest gold deposit.
Brazilian authorities arrested Rivas Núñez in Boa Vista in November 2023. He spent time in prison before being granted house arrest, but escaped in early 2025, according to the report.
The State Department says people with information about Rivas Núñez can contact it by text message, phone call, Telegram or WhatsApp at +1-281-787-9939. They can also reach out to an FBI office or visit a U.S. embassy or consulate.
Tren de Aragua is known for violent crimes. The gang was formed in 2012 at Tocorón prison in Venezuela and was led by Hector Guerrero Flores, also known as Niño Guerrero. He had been wanted since escaping through underground tunnels in 2018 and was killed during a U.S. military operation in June 2026, the report said. Within a few years, Tren de Aragua became Venezuela’s largest criminal group and a business partner of Brazil’s First Capital Command, known by its Portuguese initials, PCC. President Donald Trump has called the group “narcoterrorist” and said it poses a risk to the U.S. population.
