The Venezuelan Nicolas Maduro socialist dictator issued a comment Monday evening denounced President Donald Trump's imposition of secondary tariffs on the country purchasing Venezuelan oil.
“We defeated yesterday's sanctions, and we also defeat those who bring work, creativity, originality, love and patriotism. They can sanction and impose tariffs on what they want,” Maduro said at an official regime event.
“What they can't sanction is the love and patriotism of the people of Venezuelans, the working class, the businessmen, the peasants and women,” he continued. “They can never sanction the souls of those who defeated the empire that had raw us for 300 years.”
President Trump announcement Countries purchasing oil or gas from Venezuela on Monday afternoon may be subject to an additional 25% “secondary tariff” on all goods imported to the US.
His corresponding executive order is President Trump I explained it The decision responds to the actions of the Maduro administration, which poses a “an extraordinary and extraordinary threat” to US national security and foreign policy.
President Trump also cited the ongoing “destabilizing actions” activities in Venezuela, including support for the illegal acts of the illicit socialist system, the systematic weakening of democratic systems, and the destabilization of the Western hemisphere through Venezuela's immigration crisis.
The “secondary tariff” of the country that purchases oil and gas in Venezuela will come into effect on April 2, 2025 – Same day Mutual US tariffs will be in effect.
The Maduro administration also responded to President Trump's announcement on Monday. statement It was issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which condemns the imposition of 25% tariffs as a “arbitrary, illegal and hopeless measure” according to the Maduro administration, “confirming the overwhelming failure of all sanctions imposed on our country.”
“For many years, the fascist right-wingers rejected by the people of Venezuela have promoted economic sanctions with the illusion of abandoning Venezuela. They have failed,” the statement read.
“They failed because Venezuela is a sovereign nation, because they resist with dignity and the world is no longer subjugated to the economic dictatorship,” the statement continued. “Today, the same failed strategy is intended to be reissued with compulsory measures that seek to undermine the development of our country.”
Venezuela's Foreign Ministry continues its statement by accusing “Flagranty” of violating international trade rules with new tariffs, citing the Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the 1994 World Trade Organization (WTO) general Marrakech Agreement (WTO) “exactly preventing one country from using trade as political pressure on others.” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs argued that Venezuela would use “all related actions” in international organizations to condemn this “violation of the world economic order.”
“In spite of these attacks, Venezuela is firmly on its path. Our country is on its path of growth and prosperity, with those who resisted with dignity and have defeated any attempts of conquest promoted by ordinary extremists,” the statement concluded. “They couldn't stop us either. The maximum pressure policy failed in Venezuela and in the world.”
“The self-determination of our people has always grown in the face of difficulties and proudly boasts of the heirs' conditions for the glory of America's greatest liberator: Simon Bolivar,” the statement added.
During his first term, President Trump imposed human rights sanctions on Venezuelan state-owned oil company PDVSA in January 2019 In response to a list of widespread human rights abuses committed by the Maduro administration against its nationals. Oil and gas sanctions were temporary It was lifted As part of a plan to seduce Nicolas Maduro to allow “free and fair” elections in Venezuela under the administration of former President Joe Biden between October 2023 and April 2024.
Having received a generous oil and gas sanctions relief package in exchange for a vague “free and fair” election promise, Maduro instead held a highly fraudulent election on July 28th, securing a third term of office for president.
Additionally, former President Biden granted a license to California-based Chevron in November 2022, allowing him to resume oil production in Venezuela and sell Venezuelan oil in the American market. The Bureau of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) first announced the end of the license, which will take place on Thursday, April 3, 2025, in early March. Monday, OFAC announcement They had allowed Chevrons to extend a two-month extension to reduce the operation in Venezuela, which runs until May 27, 2025.
Christian K. Calzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
