A Venezuelan TikTok influencer, Jesus Sarmiento, was gunned down during a live broadcast, sending shockwaves across the internet.
The 25-year-old, known for speaking out against corruption and criminal networks, was killed in his home on Sunday, by armed attackers while livestreaming to his over 87,000 TikTok followers.
Moments before his death, Sarmiento had posted several videos accusing high-ranking Venezuelan officials and powerful gang figures of extortion and harassment.
He had also repeatedly voiced fears for his safety. In the now-viral footage, gunshots can be heard as Sarmiento bleeds, with his mother screaming in the background.
He gasped, “They shot me, they shot me,” before two men appeared and fired additional rounds, cutting the stream short.
Reports indicate that Sarmiento was shot at least nine times. His mother, who was also wounded in the abdomen during the attack, survived.
According to Spanish outlet El País, the influencer had long warned of threats to his life and had named several powerful figures in his videos.
Among those he accused were Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, Aragua Governor Johana Sánchez, and leaders of notorious criminal groups Tren del Llano and Tren de Aragua.
He also pointed directly at Héctor “Niño Guerrero” Flores, the fugitive leader of Tren de Aragua, who has been on the run since 2023 following a military crackdown on his base in Tocorón prison.
Sarmiento tagged law enforcement agencies in his videos and disclosed his exact location while pleading with the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service for protection.
Despite his warnings, no official intervention came before the deadly ambush.
In an earlier video, he revealed that threats against him continued even after spending 15 days in detention at La Morita prison.
He was reportedly en route to court in Maracay to follow up on his complaints when he was ambushed.
His killing comes amid official denial of ongoing gang influence. Interior Minister Cabello has previously dismissed Tren de Aragua as “nothing more than an urban legend,” asserting that its leaders had fled to Colombia. However, Sarmiento’s final days and death tell a different story—one of unaddressed threats, ignored pleas, and lethal consequences.
The U.S. has designated Tren de Aragua a terrorist organization, citing its involvement in violent crimes, extortion, and drug trafficking. Sarmiento’s death has reignited international scrutiny, with calls for an independent investigation into what critics say is a growing culture of impunity and state-linked repression.
One viewer, reacting to the live video, posted: “This man begged for help on camera. They shot him while we watched. And no one came.”
Many now believe that Sarmiento paid the ultimate price for publicly exposing Venezuela’s shadowy underworld.
