Police knock down Trump-promoted claim that Venezuelan gang took over Colorado apartments

Police are pushing back on a claim promoted by former President Donald Trump and a Republican Colorado mayor that a Venezuelan gang has taken over an apartment complex in a Denver suburb.

Trump has repeatedly pushed this claim, saying at a town hall this week, “Take a look at Aurora in Colorado, where Venezuelans are taking over the whole town, they’re taking over buildings, the whole town. You saw it the other day they’re knocking down doors and occupying apartments of people.”

He has also made multiple posts about it on Truth Social, including a graphic featuring Latin American gang members with face tattoos and the words, "Your new apartment managers if Kamala's re-elected."

Similarly, Aurora mayor Mike Coffman, who previously served as a Republican member of Congress, claimed on Facebook that CBZ Management, the owner of an apartment complex, said Venezuelan gang members were running the property and extorting residents to pay them rent.

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But according to The Associated Press, interim Aurora Police chief Heather Morris has said none of this is true, and Venezuelan gang members with Tren de Aragua have not taken over the CBZ Management complex or forced residents to pay rent. Moreover, many residents of the apartment complex, who are Latin American themselves, have come forward to say the story was fabricated to shift blame from an absentee landlord.

"Many of the immigrants from Venezuela and other Latin American countries who live in the Aurora complex say there are no gangs there, and they are being unfairly painted as criminals," reported Colleen Slavin and Amy Beth Hanson. "They pinned blame on New York-based CBZ Management for refusing to take care of bedbugs, rodents and constant water leaks despite monthly rent costing $1,200 or more. They fear they will be evicted like residents last month in a nearby apartment complex also run by CBZ that city deemed uninhabitable."

One resident, Venezuela-born Moises Didenot, showed reporters mice he and his family had caught in glue traps in their basement apartment.

Trump has repeatedly sought to raise alarm about migrants posing a threat to the country throughout his presidency, and on the campaign trail as he seeks re-election.