US Sanctions Venezuelan Model-DJ 'Rosita' Over TdA Gang Ties

Image Source: Internet

The US Department of Treasury has imposed sanctions on Venezuelan model and DJ Jimena Araya, known as 'Rosita,' for her alleged links to the notorious Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang. According to the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Araya has a romantic connection to the gang's leader, Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, alias 'Niño Guerrero.' Araya, a popular figure in the Spanish-speaking community in the US, has appeared in several TV shows and has over 4 million followers across social media. However, her reputation has been marred by her association with the TdA gang, which has been involved in money laundering and human smuggling operations. The Treasury Department claims that Araya helped the gang launder money and assisted in Niño Guerrero's escape from a Venezuelan prison in 2012. The sanctions are part of the US government's efforts to combat transnational crime and disrupt the operations of gangs like TdA. 'The Tren de Aragua network's narcotrafficking and human smuggling operations have long posed a grave threat to our nation,' said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a statement.