President Donald Trump has secured a significant win in his ongoing struggle with the Socialist government of Venezuela. The South American Nation will resume accepting deported immigrants after several months of refusing to do so. However, the conflicts between the two nations are ongoing, and the President announced his plan to increase the number of tariffs targeting countries that trade with Venezuela.
For context, the government of Venezuela had protested Trump’s deportations by refusing to accept their own deported citizens. This move angered Trump, and he made a deal with Elsavadore to house deported Venezuelans. While the Venezuelans quickly backed down, Trump was still angry with the nation and announced a tariff after the immigration deal was reached.
Getting back to the story, Jorge Rodríguez, the president of Venezuela’s Assembly and chief negotiator in the deal, explained the decision on March 22, 2025. He said, “We have agreed with the U.S. government to resume the repatriation of Venezuelan migrants with an initial flight tomorrow, Sunday.” He also confirmed the “return of our compatriots to their nation with the safeguard of their Human Rights.”
It’s evident that getting manhandled by Trump made them upset, and he closed his statements with anti-American barbs. He said, “Migrating is not a crime, and we will not rest until we achieve the return of all those who require it and until we rescue our brothers kidnapped in El Salvador.” This is insulting both because of the implication that arresting illegal immigrants is illegitimate and also for referring to detention as ‘kidnapping.’
President Trump took to Truth Social to slap Venezuela with a tariff and blast the nation for facilitating illegal immigration. He said, “President Donald J. Trump announced today that 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, many of whom are murderers and people of a very violent nature.
He specifically called out Tren de Aragua (TDA), a Venezuelan gang that caused chaos in America. The president explained, “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!”
He also called out the socialist nation for impeding US energy interests. he posted, “In addition, Venezuela has been very hostile to the United States and the Freedoms which we espouse. Therefore, any Country that purchases Oil and/or Gas from Venezuela will be forced to pay a Tariff of 25% to the United States on any Trade they do with our Country. All documentation will be signed and registered, and the Tariff will take place on April 2nd, 2025, LIBERATION DAY IN AMERICA.”
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He ended his remarks by addressing the document to several relevant federal agencies. Trump concluded, “Please let this notification serve to represent that the Department of Homeland Security, Border Patrol, and all other Law Enforcement Agencies within our Country have been so notified. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Watch President Trump deport Venezuelan gang members here: