US President Donald Trump announced that any country that buys oil or gas from Venezuela will face a 25 percent tariff in its trade with the United States, starting from April 2.

The latest introductory threat came in fact social mail On Monday morning, Trump attacked Venezuela to push immigration to the United States. He also criticized her government, led President Nicholas Maduro.

“Venezuela was very hostile to the United States and the freedoms we adopt,” Trump wrote.

“Therefore, any country that buys oil and/or gas from Venezuela will have to pay a tariff of 25 % to the United States in any trade they do with our country.”

The tariff that is designed not only to strike a blow against Venezuela but also against China, the main economic competition of the United States and the largest consumer of Venezuelan energy products.

Later, at the White House cabinet meeting, Trump said he would put a customs tariff on medicines, cars and aluminum.

Indeed, on April 2, American commercial partners are preparing for what Trump described “mutual definitions” – import duties that seek to match what other countries impose on American products.

“What is very exciting is April 2 is just around the corner. This is the day of the American liberation. This is the day when the rest of the world begins to treat America with respect.”

Lutnick added that April 2 will represent the launch of the outpatient service, a new agency whose job will be to collect definitions and other import taxes.

However, critics indicated that customs and US border protection – under the Ministry of Internal Security – are already gathered and addresses the customs tariff on behalf of the federal government.

The creation of a new agency is also likely to require a law of Congress.

Campaign to Venezuela

Trump’s latest ads indicate his continued pressure campaign against Venezuela, a long goal for him.

During his first term in his post, from 2017 to 2021, Trump implemented a “maximum pressure” campaign against the country of South America, and imposed severe sanctions on its government.

The Maduro government was accused of human rights violations, including torture and arbitrary detention of dissidents. Trump, during his first term, until a $ 15 million bonus For information that would lead to the arrest of Maduro.

At the same time, Maduro accused the United States of interfering in his country’s affairs and seeking to overthrow his government. He also blamed US sanctions for the exacerbation of an economic crisis, in part, from a sharp drop in oil prices in mid -2010.

Venezuela is proud of some of the largest crude oil reserves in the world, and it also has the largest natural gas deposits in South America. Its economy is largely dependent on energy exports.

When Trump entered his second term in January, it was unclear whether he would return to his “maximum pressure” campaign. Critics speculated that Trump’s pledge to lead the “collective deportation” campaign will require a level of cooperation with the Maduro government.

On February 1, Trump’s private envoy Richard Greenil He met with Maduro to ask the Venezuelan leader to accept the undocumented immigrants who were deported from the United States.

Venezuela has greatly refused to do this in the past. It has no diplomatic relations with the United States.

However, Greenil moved away with an initial consensus of Venezuela to accept the deportations, as well as the release of six Americans who were arrested in the country.

Last Saturday, Maduro made a televised speech confirming that his country will resume acceptance Deportation From the United States. One of the such a deportation trip receipt At Simon Bolivar International Airport early Monday morning.

Nevertheless, Trump has sought to restrict Venezuela’s economic output, pointing to human rights concerns.

In February, for example, Trump said he would do Cancel oil license It was granted to the energy giant Chevron, which was given a special permission to cooperate with government oil companies in Venezuela. Chevron was granted until May 27 to close its Venezuelan operations.

On Monday, Trump blamed Venezuela in the waves of immigrants who flee their borders, saying – without evidence – that the country was deliberately sent to the United States.

Trump wrote: “Venezuela has sent and deceptive to the United States, uninterrupted, tens of thousands of high levels, and other criminals, and many of them are killers and people of a very violent nature,” Trump wrote.

“Among the gangs they sent to the United States is Arajwa trainWhich was given the appointment of a “foreign terrorist organization”. We are returning them to Venezuela – it’s a great task! “

Trump has long unlike migration with crime, which broke the national concerns of a criminal “invasion” in the United States.

Many Venezuela exitHowever, it was driven by its economic crisis and political repression. About 7.7 million Venezuelane has escaped from the country amid a lack of basic commodities such as food and medicine. Many refugees or asylum seekers.

Critics also warned that Trump’s introductory threats could bring counter -results, creating higher prices for American consumers.

Among those countries that buy oil products in Venezuela-thus facing a 25 percent tariff-China, Spain, Brazil and Turkish.

According to the US Energy Information Department, oil production in Venezuela was on Decrease For more than a decade, it decreased from 3.2 million barrels per day in 2000 to 735,000 in September 2023.

Organizing the oil exporting countries (OPEC) Estimates Venezuela oil exports are worth $ 13.68 billion for 2023.