President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he would impose a 25% tariff on any country that purchases oil or gas from Venezuela, continuing his aggressive deportation efforts against Venezuelans and slapping duties on various trading partners. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has used tariffs as a tool to shape both economic and diplomatic policies, targeting both allies and adversaries.
In a post on his Truth Social network, Trump stated, “Venezuela has been very hostile to the United States and the freedoms which we espouse.” He added, “Therefore, any country that purchases oil and/or gas from Venezuela will be forced to pay a tariff of 25% on any trade they do with our country.”
Last month, the deportation pipeline between the United States and Venezuela was suspended after Trump accused Caracas of not fulfilling an agreement to quickly receive deported migrants. Venezuela then announced it would no longer accept the deportation flights. However, on Saturday, Caracas and Washington reached an agreement to resume repatriations, resulting in nearly 200 Venezuelan citizens being deported via Honduras.
This agreement followed the March 16 deportation of over 200 Venezuelans, alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang, to a maximum-security prison and forced labor camp in El Salvador. Trump had invoked wartime powers to expel these individuals.
Trump stated that the tariffs on countries purchasing Venezuelan oil would be imposed “for numerous reasons,” including claims that Venezuela had deliberately sent “tens of thousands of high-level criminals” to the U.S. undercover. He added that all necessary documentation would be signed, and the tariffs would go into effect on April 2, 2025, which he referred to as “LIBERATION DAY IN AMERICA.”
This date marks a symbolic deadline for the tariffs, which Trump has promised to impose on America’s trading partners to address practices that he believes are unfair. The move follows earlier tariffs placed on countries such as China, Canada, and Mexico, citing trade imbalances and concerns over the flow of deadly fentanyl into the U.S.
The announcement also comes after the U.S. ordered energy giant Chevron to cease operations in Venezuela within one month, further tightening pressure on the country’s struggling authorities.