A former Venezuelan military officer is blowing the whistle on what he says is a dangerous failure by U.S. intelligence to recognize a criminal threat operating as a government-sponsored weapon. José Arocha, a retired lieutenant colonel, is challenging a recent intelligence report that downplayed links between Nicolás Maduro’s regime and the violent Tren de Aragua gang. He says the group is much more than street thugs—it’s a tool of asymmetrical warfare aimed directly at destabilizing the United States.

Trump Vindicated as Intelligence Shake-Up Rocks Washington

President Trump has long warned that the flood of illegal Venezuelan migrants includes criminal elements deliberately sent by Maduro. But a controversial intelligence report labeled it “unlikely” the Venezuelan dictator was involved. In response, DNI Tulsi Gabbard fired the acting director and deputy director of the National Intelligence Council, accusing them of ignoring critical evidence.

A former Venezuelan military officer, Jose Arocha, disputes a U.S. intelligence report denying ties between the Tren de Aragua gang and the Maduro regime, arguing the gang serves as a state-sponsored tool for asymmetric warfare against the U.S.https://t.co/1cJRIQRVcX

— Mark Bowron (@MarkBowron420) May 30, 2025

The now-dismissed report contradicted Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Tren de Aragua affiliates, whom he described as part of an “invasion.” Gabbard’s action signals a cleaning house at the highest levels of U.S. intelligence, echoing Trump’s broader effort to dismantle the entrenched “deep state” that many conservatives believe has worked against him for years.

Arocha: Tren de Aragua Is a Weapon of Hybrid Warfare

José Arocha is sounding the alarm that Tren de Aragua is not just a gang—it’s a paramilitary asset of the Maduro regime. Speaking to Fox News, Arocha described the group as a strategic tool used to export chaos to the U.S. and Latin America. He says the gang is deeply embedded in a state-run system of protection, mobility, and mission-based infiltration.

“I agree with the Trump administration’s moves against Tren de Aragua, which he believes is an “asymmetrical warfare” tool of the Maduro regime to sow discord in the United States and other countries in the Western Hemisphere”. @ArochaJG

José Arocha, SFS Senior Fellow, in…

— Center for a Secure Free Society (@SecureFreeSoc) May 30, 2025

He points to Venezuela’s notorious Tocorón prison—which acted as the gang’s HQ for years—as proof of the regime’s complicity. Arocha argues the 2023 “raid” on the prison was a staged event, allowing gang leaders to flee with government help, rather than dismantling their operations.

Links to Terror Networks and Maduro’s Global Backers

Arocha also cited chilling evidence of broader ties between Venezuela and U.S. enemies. He highlighted the kidnapping and murder of dissident Ronald Ojeda in Chile, suggesting it was a Maduro-sanctioned operation. He also pointed to Maduro ally Tareck El Aissami’s alleged links to Hamas and Hezbollah, warning that Venezuela is acting as a proxy for Iran, China, and Russia in the Western Hemisphere.

Jose Arocha, who is a former lieutenant colonel in the Venezuelan military, told Fox News Digital that the recent intel community report denying Tren de Aragua is linked to the Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro is missing a key aspect: the socialist regime’s animosity towards… pic.twitter.com/8UdfpnD4tv

— Melissa Hallman (@dotconnectinga) May 30, 2025

He’s urging the U.S. to drop its outdated law enforcement approach and treat Tren de Aragua as an extension of enemy state operations. He believes Latin American countries already familiar with the gang’s tactics could help America build a more accurate threat picture.

As Gabbard begins rooting out political bias from the intelligence community, this case underscores why Trump’s instincts on border security, foreign interference, and the need for loyalty in Washington were dead-on from the start.

Sources:

US spy chief fires heads of intelligence body that disputed Trump’s Venezuela gang claims – Nextgov/FCW

US intel memo undercuts Trump claims about Venezuelan gang – POLITICO

WATCH: US intel’s take on TdA gang misses mark on ties to Maduro regime, ex-Venezuela army officer says