US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the United States will impose a 25 percent tariff on all trade with countries purchasing oil or gas from Venezuela.
Caracas responded to the measure, calling it “arbitrary, illegal and desperate” and accusing Washington of violating international trade agreements.
“Despite these aggressions, Venezuela remains firm on its path,” read a defiant statement issued by the Venezuelan government. The Nicolás Maduro administration vowed that the country would continue its economic growth.
The decision comes as the White House said it planned to once again invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to extradite Venezuelan nationals alleged to be members of the Tren de Aragua gang to Chile. Washington previously forcibly expelled 238 Venezuelans to El Salvador, justifying its actions based on the same eighteenth-century law.
However, federal Judge James E. Boasberg blocked the Trump administration from using the statute, arguing that those facing deportation should have the opportunity to challenge accusations of Tren de Aragua affiliation.
Trump officials nonetheless accuse Boasberg of overstepping his authority and are seeking an immediate reversal of his ruling in a Washington federal appeals court. The move to deport three Venezuelans to Chile, a process distinct from the forced expulsion of the previous group, appears to be an effort to sidestep Boasberg’s order, reflecting the Trump administration’s aggressive stance on the matter. According to the Department of Justice, the three Venezuelan nationals are wanted in Chile for charges including extortion and kidnapping.
Both the Venezuelan government and relatives of the deported individuals allege that most of those expelled have no links to organized crime. Caracas has set up several repatriation flights to bring back migrants to the country; on Monday the latest group of 199 Venezuelan migrants deported from the United States arrived in Venezuela via Honduras.
Trump also recently announced the revocation of legal protections for approximately 530,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. These migrants arrived in the US under a Biden-era sponsorship process commonly known as “parole,” which was aimed at curbing crossings at the southern US border and granted a two-year stay.
The migrants have been warned to voluntarily leave the country before the April 24 deadline. It is presently unclear how many Venezuelans are in the group, and whether some managed to secure a legal status via a different program.
The use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport Venezuelan nationals has raised significant criticisms both inside and outside Venezuela. Legal advocacy groups such as the ACLU have filed lawsuits challenging the deportations and critics allege the law should not apply since the US is not officially at war with Venezuela.
Over the years, Washington has repeatedly pursued aggressive regime change strategies against the Nicolás Maduro government, including economic sanctions, support for far-right coup plots, and an oil blockade.
Trump’s latest decision, which will take effect April 2, would impose a 25 percent tariff on all trade with countries purchasing oil or gas from Venezuela. The move is in line with Washington’s intensified economic pressure on the Caribbean nation by discouraging international buyers of Venezuelan energy resources.
In a social media post announcing the move, Trump accused Venezuela of deliberately sending violent criminals to the US. The administration has argued that the activities by the Tren de Aragua gang—designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the US in January—constitute a threat akin to an invasion, justifying the use of the Alien Enemies Act.
A recent report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research concluded that by fueling economic crises, US sanctions become a major driver of migration to the United States.
Analysts have cast doubts on the tariff threats, since they would require foreign governments to impose restrictions on companies operating in their territories. Furthermore, the corporations importing Venezuelan crude could have no connection to the ones trading with US counterparts.
The tariff threat is the latest escalation of economic pressure against the Caribbean nation. In early March, Washington effectively ordered Chevron to wind down its activities in Venezuela within a 30-day period.
On Monday, the US Treasury Department issued General License 41B, extending the deadline to May 27. Chevron engaged in lobbying efforts in recent days to secure an extension.
Caracas pledged to challenge US economic coercive measures before international tribunals.
