By Emmanuel Nduka
President Donald Trump announced a bold new policy on Monday, unveiling plans to impose a “secondary tariff” on Venezuela, accusing the South American nation of sending tens of thousands of criminals to the United States, including members of the violent Tren de Aragua street gang.
In his statement, Trump described Venezuela as “very hostile” toward the U.S. and claimed that the regime had orchestrated a covert operation to send “high-level criminals, many of whom are murderers and people of a very violent nature,” into the country. Trump specifically called out the Tren de Aragua gang, which the U.S. government designated as a terrorist organization earlier this year.
“The United States of America will be putting what is known as a Secondary Tariff on the Country of Venezuela, for numerous reasons, including the fact that Venezuela has purposefully and deceitfully sent to the United States, undercover, tens of thousands of high level, and other, criminals,” Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform. “Among the gangs they sent to the United States, is Tren de Aragua, which has been given the designation of ‘Foreign Terrorist Organization.’ We are in the process of returning them to Venezuela — it is a big task!”
The move is part of Trump’s broader effort to hold Venezuela accountable for what he considers its hostile actions towards the U.S. The President also issued a stark warning to countries doing business with Venezuela’s oil industry. “The United States will impose a 25% tariff on any nation that purchases oil or gas from Venezuela,” he declared, emphasizing that the penalties will go into effect on April 2.
Trump’s new sanctions come at a time of heightened tensions between the two nations, with the Venezuelan government under President Nicolás Maduro accused of fostering ties with violent gangs and criminal organizations.
The United States has been imposing escalating sanctions on Venezuela for years, but this new tariff signals a sharp escalation in efforts to pressure the Maduro regime and curb its influence in the region.
