Been waiting for this
President Donald Trump yesterday announced 25% tariffs on any trade with countries that buy oil or gas from Venezuela to pressure Venezuela over alleged Tren de Aragua (“the train of Aragua”) gang infiltration into the US. The tariffs will begin April 2, though it is unclear how they will work. China is Venezuela’s largest buyer of oil and gas.
In related news, a federal judge upheld a temporary order blocking the Trump administration from deporting accused Venezuelan gang members under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act. The judge said the order should remain in place to allow Venezuelan migrants the chance to challenge claims that they belong to the Tren de Aragua gang. A federal appeals court also heard arguments on the issue yesterday afternoon. The legal developments come after Venezuela agreed over the weekend to accept deportation flights of undocumented migrants in the US.
Tren de Aragua was founded in 2014 in Venezuela’s Tocorón prison and has since expanded its operations across Latin America and into the US (see overview)
