Venezuelan TikToker Murdered After Exposing Police Links to Tren de Aragua

Jesús Sarmiento, a 25-year-old Venezuelan TikTok influencer, was shot and killed live on his social media broadcast on June 22, 2025. The attack happened in his home in Maracay, Venezuela, when two armed men broke in during his livestream.

His mother was also injured but survived. Venezuelan authorities confirmed they are investigating the murder. Before his death, Sarmiento had posted videos accusing the powerful criminal gang Tren de Aragua and some police officers of corruption and extortion.

He named high-ranking officials and the gang’s leader, Héctor “Niño Guerrero” Flores. Sarmiento asked the Venezuelan intelligence service for protection, sharing his exact address and warning his followers about the threats he faced. Despite this, no help arrived.

The Tren de Aragua gang started inside a Venezuelan prison in the early 2010s and grew into the country’s largest criminal group. It now operates in several South American countries, following migration routes.

The United States officially labeled Tren de Aragua a transnational criminal organization in 2024 and offers millions in rewards for its leaders’ capture. Venezuelan officials said they broke up the gang in 2023 after a big prison raid, arresting many members.

However, the gang’s top leaders escaped and continue their criminal activities. U.S. authorities link the group to crimes like drug trafficking, kidnapping, and human trafficking.

Sarmiento’s murder shows the dangers people face when speaking out against crime and corruption in Venezuela. It also reveals how criminal gangs can operate with little fear of punishment, even with government forces involved.

For businesses and the public, it highlights the ongoing risks linked to organized crime in the region.

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