Tren de Aragua members present in Guyana, President Ali warns of coordinated plot
President Irfaan Ali says senior members of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua are in Guyana, two days after an attempted bombing of a power sub-station on the East Coast.
Ali: Tren de Aragua operating in Guyana amid sabotage threat
Two days after an attempted bombing of the electricity sub-station at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara, President Irfaan Ali on Thursday confirmed that senior members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua are present in Guyana. Demerarawaves.com reported the president's warning as part of a broader statement on the country's deteriorating security situation.
Ali said his government had received "intelligence concerning the possible movement of senior members of the terrorist-designated criminal organisation, Tren de Aragua." Guyana, under the United States-led Shield of the Americas framework, agreed in September 2026 to impose sanctions on Tren de Aragua and 23 other narco-terrorist groups active across the Americas.
"Guyana will not be allowed to become a haven for organized criminal networks, nor will violence, intimidation, or sabotage be permitted to undermine our national security, economic development, or the safety of our citizens," Ali said.
The presidential statement came hours after a magistrate ordered a Venezuelan man and several co-accused persons to stand trial at the High Court on terrorism charges connected to the bombing of a Georgetown gas station in October 2025, an attack that killed a child. Before that explosion, simultaneous blasts had struck a police outpost and a nearby Guyana Power and Light installation in May 2025. A number of Spanish-speaking men were identified in connection with those incidents but were not captured.
Ali also disclosed that government intelligence pointed to a centrally coordinated conspiracy currently being developed. "Intelligence further indicates the possible existence of a centrally coordinated conspiracy intended to harm or intimidate individuals, destroy or damage public and private property, disrupt essential services and economic activity, and create disorder and undermine national security," he said, adding that those matters were under active investigation.
The probe, Ali said, extends beyond identifying individuals caught on CCTV at the Good Hope sub-station. Investigators are also examining whether the attack was planned or coordinated with others, the purpose of a reported prior meeting, whether additional facilities or individuals were designated as targets, and the involvement of any financiers or organizers.
Surveillance footage captured two persons lobbing Molotov cocktails — referred to locally as "channa bombs" — apparently targeting an electrical transformer before fleeing after a fiery explosion. Ali said authorities had moved proactively after receiving intelligence from an organised meeting at which the attack was allegedly planned. "I want to make it clear that provisions were made based on intelligence gathered from an organized meeting by persons who attended that meeting on these possible activities, and that allowed us to be proactive in our security posture," he said.
Ali also turned attention to social media activity, warning that his administration had taken "serious note of reckless and incendiary statements circulating on social media, including statements relating to ongoing legal proceedings." He said those statements contained misleading information and inflammatory allegations that risked encouraging unlawful conduct.
The president did not identify any party in the legal proceedings by name. However, there are several active court cases involving Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, whom two U.S. Congress members have linked to now-ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Mohamed faces charges of gun and ammunition possession and attempting to obstruct the course of justice, the latter related to a U.S. extradition request for him and his father on alleged money laundering and other financial crimes. He is also on remand for a cybercrime charge connected to his access to national security surveillance footage of a shooting incident near the residence of the police intelligence chief.
Ali said Guyana was working closely with international partners and national intelligence agencies, and that authorities had obtained credible intelligence suggesting links between certain public statements and planned criminal activities. He gave a firm warning that all perpetrators — including those who planned or financed attacks — would be pursued. "All perpetrators, including intellectual authors, would be pursued relentlessly with the full force of the law," he said.
Security agencies, Ali added, were reviewing threats to critical infrastructure and taking preventative measures. "I wish to assure the public that the government, the joint services, and our intelligence and security agency, in collaboration with our partners, remain vigilant and are taking coordinated action to address these threats," he said.
He closed by calling on Guyanese citizens to remain responsible, vigilant, and patriotic, and to treat law enforcement agencies as partners in maintaining public order.
Source: Google News GY — Crime