Effective April 2, 2025
The White House yesterday released an executive order permitting the Secretary of State to impose a 25% tariff on all goods imported into the United States from any country that imports Venezuelan oil, whether directly from Venezuela or indirectly through third parties, effective April 2, 2025. Duties imposed under the order are supplemental to duties on imports already imposed under any other authority.
The order states that the Maduro regime in Venezuela has engaged in activity, including aiding and facilitating the influx of Tren de Aragua gang members into the United States, that poses an extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. Accordingly, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the United States Trade Representative (USTR), is authorized to determine in his discretion whether to impose the 25% tariff on or after April 2, 2025.
Once imposed on a country at the Secretary of State’s discretion, the 25% tariff will expire one year after the last date on which the country imported Venezuelan oil, or at an earlier date if the Commerce Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Treasury Secretary, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the USTR, so determines at his discretion. In addition, within 180 days of the order and no less than every 180 days thereafter, the Secretary of State and the Commerce Secretary must submit reports to the President assessing the effectiveness of the tariffs and the ongoing conduct of the Maduro regime.