Washington, DC [US], March 24 (ANI): US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he will be imposing a 'secondary tariff' on Venezuela for various reasons, including for sending criminals to the United States.

Trump said that the US would impose 25 per cent tariffs on a nation that purchases oil or gas from Venezuela, adding that the tariff would take place on April 2.

He also accused Venezuela of being hostile to the US.

'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. Among the gangs they sent to the United States, is Tren de Aragua, which has been given the designation of 'Foreign Terrorist Organization',' Trump said in a post on media platform Truth Social.

'We are in the process of returning them to Venezuela -- It is a big task! 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. 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,' he added.

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114217914259825110

Earlier on March 16, the US deported hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members from Tren de Aragua to El Salvador after President Donald Trump invoked the 18th-century Aliens Enemies Act to expedite their deportation, CNN reported.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that 'hundreds of violent criminals were sent out of our country' after Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act on Saturday. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later said that the Department of Homeland Security had arrested nearly 300 members of Tren de Aragua over the weekend, CNN reported.

Meanwhile, El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele offered to imprison the alleged gang members in exchange for the return of two leaders of the MS-13 gang, as well as 21 other Salvadorans to 'face justice in their homeland.'The US will also pay USD 6 million to El Salvador to house the deportees.

The El Salvador President said the money will help sustain the penitentiary system, which currently costs $200 million annually. Bukele also said the action will help law enforcement gather intelligence and apprehend MS-13 members.

Rubio thanked Bukele and said in a post on X that the US 'sent two dangerous top MS-13 leaders plus 21 of its most wanted back to face justice in El Salvador. Also, as promised by @POTUS, we sent over 250 alien enemy members of Tren de Aragua, which El Salvador has agreed to hold in their very good jails at a fair price that will also save our taxpayer dollars.'

The White House has designated the Venezuelan gang as a foreign terrorist organization and said in a presidential proclamation that many of them have 'unlawfully infiltrated the United States and are conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions against the United States.' (ANI)