He’s Suspected of Hiring a Venezuelan Gang for a Political Killing. Trump Officials Still Work With Him.

A Venezuelan national accused of orchestrating the kidnapping and murder of a political dissident in Chile is currently held in a U.S. federal jail, while the Trump administration continues to maintain a working relationship with the Venezuelan interior minister, Diosdado Cabello. Cabello has been identified by Chilean prosecutors and witness testimony as the alleged mastermind behind the 2024 killing of Lt. Ronald Ojeda, yet U.S. officials remain engaged in ongoing negotiations with the Venezuelan government regarding mining and regional stability.

The case centers on Rafael Enrique Gámez Salas, a 40-year-old Venezuelan man arrested by U.S. Gámez is currently awaiting extradition to Chile to face charges related to the abduction and death of Lt. Ronald Ojeda, an exiled Venezuelan military officer who had been granted asylum in Chile. According to court documents and statements from Chilean prosecutors, Gámez acted as a leader for the Tren de Aragua street gang, allegedly carrying out the operation at the behest of the Venezuelan government.

The Killing of Ronald Ojeda in Santiago

On February 21, 2024, at approximately 3:05 a.m., four men disguised as Chilean investigative police officers entered an apartment complex in Santiago. They abducted 32-year-old Ronald Ojeda from his 14th-floor residence. Security footage captured the suspects restraining Ojeda before removing him from the building. Nine days later, Chilean authorities discovered his remains buried inside a suitcase beneath a concrete floor in a slum area on the outskirts of the capital.

Héctor Barros, the chief prosecutor leading the investigation in Chile, characterized Ojeda as a high-priority target for the Venezuelan regime. Ojeda had previously been imprisoned and tortured in Venezuela in 2017—an ordeal he alleged in a posthumously published memoir was directed by Diosdado Cabello. Following his escape to Chile, Ojeda continued to oppose the government of Nicolás Maduro, eventually attempting to coordinate a military uprising from the Colombian-Venezuelan border in late 2023.

Witness testimony from captured gang members has linked the operation directly to high-level Venezuelan officials.

U.S. Policy and the Role of Diosdado Cabello

The U.S. administration’s continued cooperation with Diosdado Cabello stands in contrast to existing U.S. indictments against him. Despite his status as a target of U.S. law enforcement, Cabello has participated in meetings with high-ranking American officials, including Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Gen. Francis Donovan, the head of U.S. Southern Command.

Critics of this approach, including retired U.S. diplomat Todd Robinson, argue that the administration is prioritizing oil interests over the rule of law. Robinson, who served as ambassador in Caracas until his expulsion in 2018, described the decision to keep Cabello in a position of power as a “horrible, horrible idea.” Brian Naranjo, another former diplomat with extensive experience in the region, suggested that Washington views Cabello as a “necessary evil” capable of facilitating the administration’s objectives in Venezuela’s mining and energy sectors.

The State Department has largely avoided commenting on the specific allegations regarding Ojeda’s death. When questioned in May 2024 about whether the U.S. still classified Cabello as a narcoterrorist, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that official policy on that topic had not changed. A Department of Justice spokesperson declined to comment on the ongoing investigation, and the White House has referred all inquiries to the DOJ.

The Arrest and Extradition of Rafael Gámez

Rafael Enrique Gámez Salas, who authorities identify as an offshoot leader of the Tren de Aragua gang, had lived in the United States for nearly two years after entering the country in 2021.

He has since consented to extradition to Chile, where he intends to contest the murder-related charges.

What Happens Next

The legal proceedings regarding the murder of Ronald Ojeda are expected to continue in Santiago, where Chilean prosecutors are preparing to bring 20 suspects to trial.

The extradition process for Gámez is currently underway, with a final timeline subject to U.S. judicial review. Readers are encouraged to check back for further developments as this case proceeds through the international justice system.