CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — The leader of the transnational gang Tren de Aragua was killed in a joint operation by the United States and Venezuela, authorities in the South American nation said on Friday.

Founded in Venezuela, Tren de Aragua has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and is also active in Colombia, Peru and Chile.

"There were clashes with members of these criminal structures, in which Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, alias 'Nino Guerrero,' was neutralized," Venezuela's Ministry of Communications said in a statement.

The ministry said the "joint operation" took place in the southeast of Bolivar state, and involved "specialized technological support" and intelligence exchange between the United States and Venezuela.

US President Donald Trump said earlier Friday that American forces carried out a deadly strike on the gang leader.

"At my direction, the United States Southern Command delivered a swift and lethal kinetic strike to successfully execute Nino Guerrero," a post on Trump's official Truth Social platform said.