US to extradite to Chile two alleged members of Tren de Aragua linked to Ronald Ojeda's murder
A third member of the dreaded criminal gang will also be sent to the South American country. "These three members of the TdA pose a serious risk to the public safety and national security of the United States, just as they allegedly did in Chile," said Assistant Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Tren de Aragua Gang member
The Department of Justice reported that it will manage the extradition to Chile of three Venezuelans, accused of being members of Tren de Aragua and linked to the murder of an opponent of the Chavista regime. The DOJ detailed that the subjects were declared enemy aliens of the United States.
Similarly, the El Mercurio detailed that Edgar Benítez Rubio (El Fresa) and Adrián Rafael Gámez Finol (El Turco) are wanted by Chilean authorities for the kidnapping and murder of former Venezuelan military officer Ronald Ojeda.
"These three members of Tren de Aragua pose a serious risk to the public and national security of the United States, just as they allegedly did in Chile," said Assistant Attorney General Todd Blanche.
In that sense, the Justice Department indicated that "because of their membership in the Tren de Aragua, they have been declared enemy aliens," referring to the Alien Enemies Act invoked by Donald Trump on March 15 to carry out the deportation of illegal immigrants.
"The Department of Justice is taking all legal steps to ensure that these individuals are promptly sent to Chile to answer to Justice for their heinous crimes. In fact, we would have already deported these violent gang members to Chile to answer to Justice were it not for the nationwide injunction imposed by a single judge in Washington D. C., which we are challenging today before the D. C. Court of Appeals," the Justice Department highlighted.
The cases of the three defendants
- Adrián Rafael Gámez Finol, also known as Rafael Enrique Gámez Salas, 38 years old: with dual Venezuelan and Colombian nationality. He is wanted in Chile for extortion, kidnapping, homicide and criminal association. Gámez Finol was deported from the United States to Venezuela in August 2023 and allegedly subsequently re-entered the United States illegally. On February 18, Gámez Finol was indicted in the Southern District of Texas for illegal re-entry into the United States. Gamez Finol is currently in prison.
- Miguel Oyola Jiménez , 37, a dual Venezuelan-Ecuadorian national, is wanted in Chile on two counts of kidnapping. Oyola Jimenez is currently in federal custody after being arrested pursuant to a provisional arrest request filed by Chilean authorities for his return to Chile to stand trial on the kidnapping charges.
- Edgar Javier Benitez Rubio , 37, a Venezuelan national, is wanted in Chile for kidnapping, homicide and association to commit a crime. Benítez Rubio is in immigration custody pending deportation.
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