WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump announced steep tariffs on imports from countries buying Venezuelan oil and gas, a punitive measure that could hit China and India, among others, and sow fresh global trade uncertainty.
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Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has unleashed tariffs on US allies and foes alike, attempting to strong-arm both economic and diplomatic policy.
The latest across-the-board 25 percent levies targeting direct and indirect buyers of Venezuelan oil can take effect as soon as 2 April, according to an order signed Monday by Trump.
The secretary of state, in consultation with other US agencies, is authorized to determine if the levy will be imposed.
These could hit China and India, with experts noting that Venezuela exports oil to both those countries, and to the United States and Spain.
Trump told reporters Monday that the 25 percent tariff would be on top of existing rates.
In February, Venezuela exported some 500,000 barrels of oil per day to China and this figure was 240,000 barrels for the United States, experts told AFP.
Trump has dubbed April 2 "Liberation Day" for the world's biggest economy, already promising reciprocal tariffs tailored to each trading partner in an effort to remedy practices that Washington deem unfair.
He earlier signaled sector-specific duties coming around the same day -- but the White House said Monday it might take a narrower approach.
In his Monday announcement on Truth Social involving Venezuela, the president cited "numerous reasons" for what he called a "secondary tariff."
He accused Venezuela of "purposefully and deceitfully" sending "undercover, tens of thousands of high level, and other, criminals" to the United States.
He added in his post that "Venezuela has been very hostile to the United States and the Freedoms which we espouse."
According to Trump's order, the 25 percent tariff expires a year after the last date that a country has imported Venezuelan oil -- or sooner if Washington decides so.
Trump's announcement comes as the deportation pipeline between the United States and Venezuela was suspended last month when he claimed Caracas had not lived up to a deal to quickly receive deported migrants.
Venezuela subsequently said it would no longer accept the flights.
But Caracas said Saturday it had reached agreement with Washington to resume repatriations after which nearly 200 Venezuelan citizens were deported from the United States via Honduras.
Separately Monday, the Trump administration extended US oil giant Chevron's deadline to halt its operations in Venezuela through 27 May.
The company had been operating in Venezuela under a sanctions waiver.